


Shards of Memory (Of a Life Well Lived But Heavily Regretted)

by LadyPaige



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-04-07 04:58:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 31,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4250247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyPaige/pseuds/LadyPaige
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Prothen becon was not the only scientific discovery found on Eden Prime that day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> A rewrite of Mass Effect 1 and 2, likely not 3. As such, some characters may appear sooner, and in different way.

Shepard looked out to the large green mountains, so clear, and inviting in the warm summer sun. She wished she could shed her armour, as she was sweltering in her skin tight suit. The light metal material was meant for easier movement and protection, and not much else. Plus, the cool wind on her hands and face was divine.

The sky of Eden Prime was all blue, not even the soft ripple of a cloud, but looking out, there were huge, almost black rectangular pillars littered about the place, grooves ran up them, glowing green. That was new. The discovery of a prothean beacon had caused the technology of said species to come alive. For what reason was unclear.

"Commander Shepard," the tell-tail distorted voice of a turian addressed the N7 graduate.

She turned, nodding in greeting to her Spectre mentor. Before looking back over the land once more.

"It is beautiful. I should have come sooner."

"Being in the military has a habit of making you forget the world around you," Nihlus moved to stand beside her, his arms crossed behind his back. His emerald irises, a quality they shared, were fixed to the environment. "Being a Spectre makes you rethink it. Though, not always for the best reasons."

Shepard hummed in agreement. "Still a nice view."

Nihlus's mandibles slide up. A smile? It was hard to tell.

"It is," he turned back to the commander. "An officer we met on our way here, by the name Williams. She informs me that another artefact was found."

Shepard met his sights. "Another beacon?"

"No. Some sort of box. They have called for a prothean expert to come take a look. Want to see?"

"You know me so well already," she followed his lead as he stepped away. "Am I that much of an open book?"

Nihlus stopped mid stride. "I just wanted to see what's in the mystery box. If you want to take the blame, that's fine."

And that was where the memories cut out.

Shepard could just about recall the glimpses of Kaidan reaching out to touch the strange machine, and her act of rushing forward to throw him out of its path. The intoxicating feeling of pure, and foreign energy. Like a mix between a Vanguard's biotic charge and pull, holding her in place, and yet tearing her mind apart. Imagines of blood, muscle and wires flashing though her mind. None of it made sense.

Then there was darkness.

* * *

 When she awoke, there was gun fire.

Shepard gasped, feeling like she had not taken a breath for years. She was full of feelings of dread, the same she had felt during the Skyllian blitz. She looked out the window, to come face to face with a ginormous black ship. With weak, almost shaking legs, she made her way over, reaching out to the window frame for support.

Its front had claws that took hold of the earth under it, while its hind-end stuck up like some sort of bug. The fact that it was metal was the only sign of its non-sentient existence. Even if it moved like it was alive.

Shepard's breath caught in her throat as saw beings coming over the hill side. Geth. Six of them, all armed. Well, she hoped they were Geth, and not some other group of deadly AIs.

Hoping for Geth. Had she missed some sort of memo? National weird shit day on Eden Prime?

Shepard dropped to the tiled floor, and evaluated her situation. No amour but no hospital gown. That was something. A bra would have been appreciated. There was however, her pistol on the night stand.

She shuffled over, and let out a breath, a smile on her lips, when she found it was loaded. She almost laughed when she saw the sniper rife tucked behind the table. Kaidan was a good friend.

Shepard took up position, watching the geth move as she tired her omni-tool to make contact with her crew. Anyone who was not an AI would do.

No such luck.

Returning her glaze, she watched as the geth approached a large mental box, sat up on a platform, machines surrounding it. That must have been the box Nihlus had told her about. They lifted the panels, and observed the key pads, pressing buttons cautiously. But like the scientists, they could not get it open.

Shepard took a breath, and lined up her scope. She could have used the box as a distraction, and left, but it must have been important for geth to leave the Perseus Veil to get it.

Without giving herself another second to think about it, to reconsider, she took one of the geth in her sights and fired.

The assault was quick, Shepard had been trained for as much. Aiming for their heads over chests had been a good call. Once the threat was gone, she did not approach the box. If no one else had figured it out by this point, there was nothing she would be able to bring to the table.

Instead, she checked out the buildings, a mad dash really. Trying to find some way to make contact. She would be going back blind and with limited ammo, she trusted her abilities, and she needed more than anything to go back and help her crew, protect those civilians, but at this moment, she could be more of a hindrance than help.

She needed something. Anything.

She stopped as she found a door to one of the side rooms of the labs. Hacking the door, she discovered a console. Communications were down but as she was just about to leave, she remembered that one of the doctors had been using this room to run tests on a signal that had been radiating some sort of message. Although all that could been seen or heard was static.

But something told her to try it anyway, a need to confirm.

Visions filled her head of a whole fleet of the giant ships, their dark metal claws slicing though the earth like a knife though butter. Firing thick red beams that caused the air to smell like burning skin and blood. The mechanical beasts roared; echoes of metal slammed against metal rang out. Their bodies had expanded, walking on four bend legs.

The sky was orange, almost blending with the destroyed buildings and bloodied corpuses. And in the low light, an army stood. Aliens Shepard had never seen, stood tall. Clad in red, metal plated armour, lined with gold. They fired back at their foe, while at the same time, stumbling backwards into a giant cream building. The high and beautifully sculpted walls suggested that it could have been some sort of ancient holy or political dwelling, a sanctuary.

Their enemies ran at the army, they were the same size as them, but bare, with black armoured skin, large claws, and unnaturally yellow, glowing eyes.

Shepard's eyes were forced upon one alien. He stood in front of the rest, killing those who faced him with short but precise bursts of energy, from a gun she had never known of.

He saw as one of his men was shot down, he stopped, throwing out an arm, and with it came biotics. A ball of energy that push them back. But instead of a blue force, rippling like movement in a body of water. It was green, sparking yellow, almost white, like lightening.

He threw another before calling fourth a green holographic VI that mirrored his image. The alien's voice was deep, with an accent that sounded like one she knew from her home world.

He dragged his comrade past the threshold of a pair of meeting doors, covered by fire from his fellow fighters. He breathed like he would never be able to stop but did so when he saw the chaos the attack left behind.

There were those same boxes everywhere, and Shepard could feel pain in her chest, panic in her gut. Hopelessness and rage. She wanted to scream, bare her teeth like a wild varren.

 **"How many have we lost?"** He asked. He was used to this, already broken to what he was seeing. He had already accepted it.

**"Reaper forces have already destroyed approximately three-hundred thousand life-pods."**

Life-pods?

The alien typed in a code, and the box opened. It was but a coffin, with the burnt lifeless body of another of his kind inside.

 **"A third of our people,"** and with that, he placed his hand gently to the dead man's shoulder. His two sets of golden eyes slid shut from the emotional weight. His head fell forward. But once the VI spoke again, that their mission was not yet over. He stood and lead his men on.

Shepard blinked. Her vision was blurred, her face and arms cold from where she lay on the artificial flooring. As her mind began to settle, she realised something.

There could be someone in that life-pod.

Shepard went to open the pod but concluded that she would have to stop the stasis he or she was stuck in first.

Another console, another vision. Every choice was his, every backlash his doing. He was tasked with the impossible, saving his people. Despair ate at him, his people long defeated.

Shepard stepped over to the life-pod. She disabled the stasis and typed in the code. And there, lay the very being she had seen.

It could not really be that alien. Could it?

Before her thoughts could go further, his eyelids flickered; separately, like he could control each optical organ individually. His dual pupils focused. He gasped a lung full of oxygen, before casting a biotic charge at her, throwing her to the ground. He ran, falling over his weak limbs like a new born deer.

She rolled to her feet and ran after him, stopping in her tracks when she found him. He stood, looking to the ship, part of the fleet that had taken his men.

**"It never stopped. It will never stop."**

His words tugged at her brain, burning softly like those memories- his memories, had. And for reason she did not even have, she reached out and touched his shoulder.

Commander Javik was his name, he too took a life pod. The VI stated that there had been a loss of power and a selection process would be activated. The pods would not be opened until another spices arose and found them, which did not sound at all hopeful.

Low power, lots of pods. Selection. The deduction was simple, even before Javik demanded that the pods were not to be shut down.

The anger she felt was blinding, and the sorrow was crippling. But as sleep filled her brain, both she and Javik feel into the darkness.

Javik fell to his hands and knees, as did she. Shepard was disorientated, and every muscle in her body felt worn thin.

"How many others?"

"Just you," she gasped for breath, listening to the way he growled in his chest as he leant back on his knees. "You can understand me?" He must have had some sort of translating device.

"Yes. Now that I have had time to study your physiology, your nervous system. Enough to understand your language."

Shepard glanced to the translator piece at her collar. It was not changing her words nor those she was receiving. He was speaking a human language. Her language.

"So, you were reading me while I was seeing-"

"Our last moments. Our failure."

"Javik, right? What are you?" Shepard leant back, using all the energy she could muster to get to her feet, even if she did sway once she did.

Javik turned. Intrigued by her knowledge. "You have a strong mind. You did not pass out. You retained focus," his features shifted but what he felt was unclear. "I am prothean."

Shepard stared. Then sighed, "Of course you are. I think I'd like to wake up now," she pointed to the geth ship. "Do you know how to destroy that? It must be a pretty old ship if you-"

"Ship?" His eyes were wide, thin lips parted. "Is this the first time this has happened. Just the one...ship?"

"Yes. Why? What does that mean?"

"This cycle might still stand a chance."

Shepard had no idea what to say to that. She looked at him, waiting for some sort of explanation.

The bangs of bullets rang out. Sharpening the two military minds.

"Let's just get out of here first," she held out her hand. "Commander Shepard. Systems Alliance Navy."

"I will follow you," he stood up by himself, then stepped to the side, so she could pass. "For now."

Shepard lowered her hand and made her way forward, employing her shields as she did so.

If this was day one of Spectre training, what did day two entail?


	2. Chapter Two

Nihlus jerked as the heard the whoosh of biotics, only a short distance from his head. He gasped as a sharp pain tore through his side, but he forced himself to spin around on one boot as he recognised the sound of a gun having been fired. It must have been what caused his injury, but it close. It was close enough to leave a slight ring in his ears. He raised his own weapon.

Saren had his hand pulled to his chest, hissing at the burned and bleeding flesh. Nihlus' feelings worry were replaced by betrayal and anger when he saw the remnants of a blue biotic ball of energy clashing against a nearby wall, splashing out like water on stone. Leaving behind a Spectre issued pistol.

No more than a second later, Saren was smacked up into the air, then across into a building, behind a pile of crates. But the energy that hit him was not normal. It was green?

He paid it no mind for now, keeping his sights on Saren. His mandibles perked as he heard a voice.

"And here I thought that you would be saving my ass."

Shepard and Javik watched as a civilian ran from the busted crates. He tripped up as he went but scrabbled to his feet. But then he saw Javik, he came to a halt, completely frozen in place at being in the sights of the strange creature. He ran in the only direction left, up a hill, to west. Where the Normandy was docked as fair as Shepard knew.

Saren growled from where he lay on a bed of splintered wood. The chattering of geth building behind him. In an instant, Saren on his feet, his body enveloped in the blue light of his biotics. And geth were coming up behind him.

Nihlus dived into cover, clutching his side, blue blood running between his talons. Shepard and Javik followed suit. The former looked over the latter. He was panting, and his kneeing position looked like one he would have taken without the need for cover. That attack must have took a lot out him like. Hitting an enemy with both shields and heavy armour, and getting an outcome like that, was a pretty tall order.

"Stay here," Shepard ordered and broke cover to fire.

The fire fight went on for a couple minuets, not a long time but it felt never ending when you are the only thing keeping a group of artificial intelligence from killing one solider with limited cover, and the other having just woken up from being frozen. At least Saren had used this time to leave, good news right now, potentially very bad later.

As Shepard took aim at an rapidly approaching, and a little too close for comfort, geth. It was thrown up and away with forest green biotics.

"You really are a stubborn one," she said, using up the last of her clip. She pulled back her arm, building all the energy she could. One big shockwave should throw the last of the Geth off long enough for Nihlus to take them out.

Multiple gun shots rang out. Shepard took hold of all the energy she had mustered- but her panic dulled as she heard the sounds of the failing machines.

"Commander? Is that you?"

Shepard stood. "Kaidan," she smiled. Then called back; "Took you long enough."

Nihlus moved from his cover, moving to stand beside the commander.

"Nihlus," Kaidan nodded to the turian as he and his group came to a stop before his commanding officer.

Shepard took notice of the female solider, the same one she had met upon their landing, and asari, both of which stood either side of her crew member. The asari was unexpected. "I see you found some friends."

"The attack was a surprise but I'm glad to have had them."

"It is still unclear what the geth were here for," the asari said.

"I saw a group of them trying to open the prothean artefact the research team found," Shepard said

"Did they open it?" Nihlus asked, his brow plate raising.

"No," Javik pulled himself up from where he sat behind the commander, using the hip height walls as leverage. "Our technology far advances them."

Nihlus smirked, about to make a comment about understanding where the strange biotics had come from. He had certainly never seen a species like this before...then the words clicked. "Our?"

"By the Goddess," the asari gasped. "It can't be. A prothean?"

"That's not possible," the female solider spoke. "They all died out, what fifty-thousand years ago?"

"Fifty-thousand..." Javik mumbled, golden eyes fixed to the floor. "It should not be a surprise that none of my men made it. It was a wonder my own life-pod did not shut down."

"The artefact kept him frozen until someone opened it. So, that what ever happened to them would not happen to us," Shepard explained, no matter how strange the words sounded.

Javik raised his head, his four eyes sharp. "Dose the Citadel stand?"

"Yes," Kaidan replied.

Javik blinked. "And your government still intact?"

"Yes. Where is this going?"

"Have your people faced indoctrination?"

"In-what?" Ashley turned to her temporary leader. "I think he's got frost bite on the brain."

"Javik," Shepard stepped over to the prothean, holding out an arm in case he were to fall. "What do you mean?"

"The reapers," top lip twitching with his building rage, "They attacked us, turned our people into husks, took control of their minds and made them kill those who were left."

"That happened here too. They turned the colonists into zombies," Kaidan said.

"You must get to the Citadel. Stop the war from happening."

"Let's go," Shepard said.

Kaidan nodded.

She turned to the Asari and solider. "Williams right?"

"Ashley Williams. Gunnery Chief, 2nd Frontier Division. Ma'am."

"And I'm Dr. Liara T'Soni," the asari mentioned timidly.

"Williams. You're with Kaidan and I. Liara, I need you to get in contact with the SSV Normandy and patch up Nihlus."

Ashley saluted. "Yes, ma'am."

Liara nodded. She gulped. "Yes. I...I can do that."

Nihlus stepped forward. "I can keep fighting."

"I know. But I need you here. There could still be survivors."

The Turian nodded. Seeming pleased with her reasoning.

Shepard turned back to the Prothean. "Javik. Keep them safe."

Javik pushed his weight off from the wall, his legs almost buckling but he forced himself to stay standing. He took the strange weapon from his lower back and readied it. "Yes, commander."

She nodded to him.

**"Try not to die."**

She smiled. "I'm good at that," she turned, missing the way Javik's eyes flew wide, looking at her back with disbelief.

"Alright. Let's move."

* * *

"My report is nearly done," Shepard said as the door to the crew counters opened. "There was a lot to cover."

"I'm just glad to see you safe," Anderson said. "You handled yourself out there. More than even I expected."

She finally raised her green irises. "Thank you, sir. I'm sorry to hear about Jenkins. He was brave. One of the good ones."

"The young ones are always the most tragic. I've lost many but it still gets to me."

"I would be worried if it didn't."

Anderson chuckled. "True."

"How are are new crew members settling in?" Shepard asked, hoping a change of topic would lighten the mood.

"Miss Willians has accepted the offer to serve with the Normandy. And T'Soni is quite happy to stay here until we get to the Citadel. She was called to Eden Prime to see the beacon and artefact. She's an expect on protheans, and you just made her dreams come true."

Shepard laughed. "And Javik? I can't imagine he's the type that would like that sort of attention."

"He's still in the med-bay. He will not except an examination or treatment. Dr Chakwas has closed off the area to give him time to fix himself and rest."

"Do you think I should talk to him?"

"You seem like the most likely person to get him to talk. But for the time being, I would leave it."

She nodded. "The worse time to approach a solider is when they are vulnerable, and in a uncertain environment," She raised a brow at the frown on the Captain's face. "Something on your mind? Holding anything back from me?"

"Javik is communicating without the use of translator. To any English speaking crew, that is."

"Yes. He took the knowledge of the language from my mind. He's naturally speaking it. It's quite a skill."

"Did the same happen to you?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

Anderson crossed his arms. "Back on Eden Prime, he spoke to you in prothean. And you understood."

"He...what?" Shepard placed the datapad as she realised something. "When I saw his memories, when I was trying to open his life-pod. I did not even think of it at the time but..."

"You understood him."

Shepard rested her chin upon her closed knuckles. Pupils unfocused as she went over all she had seen, all she had felt. "How is this possible?"

"You would have to ask him. For now, we have to get to the council. They need to know what happened."

Shepard just nodded, too engrossed to take notice as the Captain took his leave.

* * *

Javik kept his eyes fixed to the emptiness of space outside one of the port holes. The reapers were not killing, the war had not begun. He could stop this, and avenge his people. He would not be at peace till the very last reaper was dead. And the last thing it would see would be the last Prothean, watching its life drain away.

He sighed. He rolled his head back, groaning at the heavy feeling in his head. He stared the white ceiling from where he lay on his cot.

Peace. Peace would never exist again. But seeing the colony world, his colony world, covered in greed, with clear rivers, likely filled with fish, and there had been wild animals. He never thought he were hear birds like that, not so many, numerous different kinds, calling to each other. He had sensed rodents, even livestock. Unless a large group of animals was choosing to stay within the area while it was under attack.

* * *

 Javik had kept his distance from the asari and turian, which had not been too difficult; with the asari talking with alliance command, and the Shepard-human he had encountered, while the turian solider searched for survivors. Working past his wound, which Javik had cauterised with biotics. The fact that he had accepted the offer had mildly impressed the prothean.

He hated to admit it but he had been greatly weakened, still was. His senses had been dulled, his reactions slowed. Which is how he had pretty much ran into of the this cycle's machines. A geth.

He had froze, and so had the geth, which was unexpected but gave him that second to catch the machine in a dark channel. Holding it in place.

Machines do not hesitate but this one had.

"Why do you work with the machines?" He had asked, receiving only clicks in response.

Javik had approached the machine. "They won't let anyone live, not even your kind."

The flaps surrounding its head had rose, as if it was curious, its two sets of red eyes fixed on the organic, although the higher left eye was damaged and not functioning. And its chest was still smoking from a newly acquired hole, likely from some sort of large artillery.

Then it's eyes a deeper, almost blood red and it started to thrash.

Javik had eyed the machine, not knowing what to make of it. But his biotics would soon run dry, so he rounded the machine, and took ahold of its head. He spotted red lines of energy and followed them to a panel at the back of the neck.

There inside, hooked up to all the main drives, was reaper tech. It was indoctrinated. A lot of the technology looked different. Upgrades for loyalty, which lead to possession. A smart move.

Javik was no tech expert but he could tell that the attachment that was keeping the geth connected to the reapers was separate and could, and was easily removed. Then he took the machine's weapon, before allowing it to drop.

He kept the newly acquired shotgun trained on the geth as it stood and turned to the prothean. It did not attack, nor take cover. It did not even run. It had just stood there, watching. Its eyes were white.

"Leave machine and pray that your race can be saved," and with that, Javik left, keeping his eyes on the geth as he walked away. It still stood there, completely unmoving. Almost like it was deactivated.

For the next hour before they left Eden Prime, Javik did not see the geth again.

* * *

Javik ran the back of fingers over his layered carapace. He was living in a world filled with strangers. Not a single prothean, just primitives who finally evolved. No one knew him, knew his people. There was not even a soul who spoke like he. His was a dead language. Something he always knew would one day be true.

But several hours ago, he was sitting with his men, speaking as if they were not preparing to put themselves in stasis, with no promise that any of them would make it out of this war alive.

But Javik was alive. And he would speak for the dead, and for all those who could have been. Should have been.


	3. Chapter Three

"We had no way of knowing Saren was capable of something like this," the asari councillor spoke.

"How did he gain the loyalty of the geth?" The turain councillor asked, crossing his arms.

"We have someone who can answer that," Nihlus told the council.

Garrus released his ear piece as the order came though. He turned to the never before seen alien, sat between a pair of C-Sec officers, as per the law of new species entering the Citadel. Even when they part of the species that made it.

"They're ready for you."

Javik stood, following the blue marked turian up the staircase leading to the governing body of the current cycle.

"The protheans had the ability to share memories, and read the world around them," Shepard spoke. "The beacon was a warning. To save us from the same fate as them."

"And what was that?" the asari asked, seeming concerned but uncertain.

"The reapers."

Shepard and Nihlus parted so Javik could step forward. The councillors were stunned by the sight of the warrior in red and gold plated armour, they looked between themselves, with mumbled words and slight gestures.

"The war started many generations before my birth. We were the rulers of an empire. There were other races, joined under our command. Then the reapers came. A fleet of ships descended on the Citadel, and before our colonies knew anything had happened, our leaders were gone, along with much of our people and resources.

He closed his eyes. "Many tried to save themselves. The densorin offered their young in gathered mass sacrifice. This only lead to a much faster demise," he orbs reappeared. "The zha, a race that implanted themselves with AI technology to continue their existence. The reapers indoctrinated them, experimented on them. Turning them into beasts of war, their children became slaves. The races we once watched over, the races of this cycle, we pulled away from. Hoping the reapers would not see you as a threat. I'm glad to see that we were correct in doing do."

"Our colonies were attacked, our people taken. We tried to protect them, but before long, we had to leave them to die to rebuild our army. This lead to our fall. They collected our people for years. Then they were released back to the prothean race, indoctrinated. We were made to fight and kill our own people. Our empire fell. We never stood a chance but you can."

Shepard took a moment to process all she had heard. All that the protheans had suffered. A fate that was doomed to fall on her own race, all the races in the galaxy. It was horrible. It was monstrous. And it was so terrifyingly real, that she found it hard not to quiver in fear like a child.

"If this race is still around, how come we have never seen evidence of them? Why would they want to destroy us? We have shown them no harm." The salarian councillor concluded.

"The reapers are a race of machines. The Citadel and mass-relays were not our creation. We found and used them, like you. It was the perfect trap."

"Whatever feud your people had with the machines of your time has nothing to do with us," the turian councillor cut in.

Shepard raised her green eyes at that, her pupils wide in disbelief.

Javik's shoulders hunched, a deep primal grow building. "This happened to many before us. Species build, took to space and are attacked and destroyed. The cycle in unending."

"You were frozen for fifty-thousand years," the asari pointed out. "Your metal state-"

"Thousands of my men died so I could warm you of what is to come!" Javik yelled. "We watched over all of you, waiting for you to evolve, so you could join us. You are all but primitives. Too weak minded and cowardly to face the truth!" **  
**

**"Ja** **vik. Calm down."**

Javik stopped when he heard the whispers of his people. The human.

The prothean looked at Shepard with an expression she could not read. **  
**

**"They will never listen. Your people will fall."**

**"I won't let that happen,"** Shepard knew the moment she started speaking that her words were not her own. Her lips moved oddly, her throat felt weird. But she kept going, ignoring the looks. The worst of which was from Nihlus, as he was close enough to hear her.

"Yes, commander," Javik stared down each of the councillors. "I am surprised to hear that the asari have leaned to write."

Nihlus looked to Shepard and she looked back, uncertainty on both their faces.

"That the turians have stopped marking their territory with the use of urine."

"Oh no," Shepard pulled the best smile she could, as she told Javik he was not helping in hushed prothean.

"And..." He leaned forward, squinting his four eyes at the remaining leader. "The lizard people evolved?" He shook his head, and took his leave. "I am surrounded by primitives."

Garrus had never seen anyone talk to the council like that before, he followed the prothean as he passed, he was one of the aline's escorts in the Presidium after all. He would let the younger officers take him after that. He wanted to see how this played out.

He passed a few crew members from the Normandy, and was surprised by the presence of an asari. Prothean and asari. An interesting ship indeed.

"That was unexpected."

"It was? I'm still not sure on bug man but that was pretty bad-ass."

"By the Goddess."

* * *

Javik perked as he caught the scent of the human. He waited for her to reach him. He was sat on a white marble bench, overlooking a model of a mass relay sat in the middle of a lake. The lighting above him was fake, the lakes and ponds placed, but it was all still beautiful.

"What were you thinking?"

The officers near by quickly made themselves scarce at the hissing of the commander.

"Be glad I did not tell them that my people considered salarians to be a delicacy."

"I've seen the war, if we're going to win this we need the other races. Insulting them meant we almost lost everything, if Nihlus hadn't been there, they would have pushed us out for good."

She moved to stand in front of him, her face right in his. Her eyes seemed a darker shade of green, her eyebrows were down cast, her top lip jerking like she was about to bite. "Lucky, he convinced the council to allow us to track Saren down. We can use this to find out more about the reapers."

Javik raised his three fingered hand, placing it on the woman's jaw.

Shepard gasped as her vision went black.

* * *

 She was in a large room. She looked around to see children; with skin tones of green, blue, purple and yellow, but all their faces blurred. They were so small, they could not have been much older than five. Their two sets eyes facing forward, their little arms holding guns larger than they should have been able to support.

 **"We are prothean,"** a voice called from the front of the room.

Shepard turned. Her vision caught by someone sitting at the side lines, among others, many of which held hands. They all appeared to be female from their smaller frames, and their heads were not outwardly protruding, except for the triangular front above the eyes.

The one Shepard was focused on, sat with slender fingers crossed over her lap. Her face was fuzzy like all the rest, but one thing was clear, her bright blue eyes.

Warmth filled Shepard's chest as she watched the protean female knit her fingers together, she was confused by how this had such a relaxing effect. This was followed by a strange vibration at her back. Something that for unknown reasons, made her feel even more relaxed.

 **"We will fight, and some may die but we will beat the machines!"** The male at the front threw his hands into the air. **"And we will survive!"**

Shepard and the children stood, calling out in union. **"Till the last, we will fight!"**

* * *

 The commander blinked as she came face to face with golden eyes. She was panting but still standing, even if her hand had dropped to his shoulder. She was getting used to this memory sharing, that did not mean she liked it. But there was something about it, the feeling soothed her mind like a drug, she felt both weightless and trapped. What she saw, no one else could, but Javik. A whole new world in a very different time.

"In my cycle, we were born into war, raised to fight it. To give life to children who would have to do the same. War was all we knew and it was never ending. I hope that your children never have to know the same."

Shepard straighten herself but kept her hand fixed to his armoured shoulder, gripping it hard as she spoke. "I will stop this."

Javik's expression softened but he pulled away from her all the same. "I believe the turian wishes to join your cause."

"Nihlus?"

"The officer with the blue clan markings. I sense frustration, excitement."

Shepard raised her head, spotting said turian duck into the Wards access.

"His eyes are quick. No biotics but smart with technology."

Shepard blinked, but then recalled. "That visor looked pretty pricey for a cop."

"Hand made. He also prefers long distance weaponry, a trait not common on the ship."

She raised a hand. "Wait a minute. How can you tell that?"

"The signs are there, you just need to know how to read them."

And there is was, utter smugness. Even if his voice was clear, it was evident in the shape of his lips, the light in his eyes.

"Well, I might need him. I've been given Spectre status and a new ship. I will need a crew."

"I will join you."

Shepard nodded. "I appreciate that."

"You are the best I'm going to get."

"There is is," she grinned. "Hey. Your people didn't really eat salarians, right?"

"The meat is sweet due to the fruit that grows on their planet."

"I wouldn't share that."


	4. Chapter four

Javik stepped passed the thrash-hold of what was to be his counters. It was an observation desk, the entire wall facing out was one big window, which thankfully had a shutter. The exposure was unsettling, but the view was nice.

On one side of the room, which must have previously had tables if the scuff marks were an accurate indication, held a tank of water. On the other side was a close to the floor temporary cot. He was used to sleeping on the ground, something somewhat soft would be a treat. The lights in the room were dimmed, the air more humid than the rest of the ship.

The asari did know a few things about the protheans.

He made his way to the tank, cleansing his hands in the cool water, feeling a calmness run through him as he worked his palms together. For the first time since he came to this cycle, the quiet did not feel disconcerting, like something was waiting for him to let his guard down so it could pounce.

He continued to wash his hands, his breath becoming slower, his muscles flowing from their tense state. And without meaning to, thoughts entered his mind.

He had wondered for the past two days about the commander's transferred abilities. She could see what was offered from his mind, but not take it. She could understand his words, but more interestingly, she could speak back. She must have been very strong for her mind to accept so much. And while she was no prothean, she fought like one. She was just as fierce, her biotics powerful, and her mind tactically sound.

He felt comforted in her presence, but did not trust her, he could not afford to.

* * *

"Commander," Nihlus spoke as Shepard stepped onto the bridge. "We should stay on the Citadel a while a longer. I believe your pilot may have found something interesting."

"Joker?"

"It's the weirdest thing. Garrus put me in contact with this doctor, works down in the wards, has this really sexy French accent, but sounds a little muffled. Like has something stuck down her throat-"

"Joker."

"Alright," he held up his hands. "Point is, she knows how the place works, and she and Garrus go back. Said she would give us a heads up if she heard anything Saren related. And she came through. She treated a quarian a few hours ago who was shot while on Eden Prime, by a geth. But, get this, according to her, she woke up to find another Geth, fixing her suit!"

"That..." Shepard leant back onto one foot. "Does sound crazy."

"I know right. But as a proof, it gave her download date from its memory core."

"Of what?"

"Dunno. Whatever it was, it must have been big. She's gone into hiding. She plans to sell the information to the Shadow Broker for her protection."

"The doctor put her in contact with a club owner by the name of Fisk. But my sources tell me that Fisk is working with Saren. This could be an opportunity to find where Saren is hiding," Nihlus announced. "The Shadow Broker has hired a krogan merc to kill him. He might be willing to help us but we need to work quickly."

Shepard nodded. "We need all information we can get but I won't risk putting a civilian in harms way. We have to find her."

* * *

"So, you're really a prothean?"

Javik turned from where he was cleaning his rifle on the mess hall table. The blue marked turian was standing at the end of the table, his head cocked like a curious bird.

"Yes," Javik went back to digging a cloth through the groves along the sidearm. Wiping away all trace of the war he had been raised in. Which he knew was for the best, but felt wrong for some reason. From the corners of his eyes, he could see the Alenko-human lifting his head. He did not mind him so much, he had greeted Javik when he had sat down and had said nothing more beyond that.

"Okay. Stupid way to start a sentence."

"It was."

The door to the medical lab opened. Javik sighed when he saw the asari.

"What are you two talking about?"

"I was just telling the turian about the creation of the batarians. We had a hand to play in that."

Her blue eyes practically sparkled.

"Go on," Garrus drawled. He was not convinced.

"They were the offspring of protheans and early asari," he explained. "But their abilities were less than desirable. We left them on another planet."

"By the Goddess!"

Javik smiled as she turned away, a hand running over her scalp, babbling in disbelief about the one of a kind archeological discovery.

Garrus observed the scene, stuck between intimation and amusement. And Kaidan had given up pretending not to listen, instead watching with his arms crossed, leaning against the table top.

"But-" Liara stopped. "The batarians don't share asari DNA, so how..." The look she was giving Javik, like he knew every answer in existence, apparently regardless of how stupid it sounded, faded "Oh. You were joking."

Javik lifted and lowered his shoulders, a social cue for agreement he had observed from his commanding officer.

"I imagine everyone asking you about your people must get annoying," she said softly, her eyes watching his movements.

Javik stood with a soft growl, making his was back to his cabin.

"Social isn't he," Garrus commented.

"He is not what I expected," Liara's voice was quiet, her eyes downcast.

"You know what they say about meeting your idols."

"I guess."

"Don't let it get to you," Kaidan spoke up. "He probably needs more time to settle in. Either that or he's just a jerk. Doesn't mean all the protheans were."

"I think I would be pretty grouchy too if my race were pass tense," Garrus pointed out.

Liara nodded, feeling like a horrible person. She could not even imagine what Javik must have been going through.

"Although, that was pretty funny."

"It was not!"

"What's the commotion?" Shepard called as she rounded the elevator.

"Just talking about history," Kaidan answered. She might have found the joke funny, not that he was covering for Javik in anyway, the guy could deal with the consequences himself. It was more for Shepard's sake, he always tried to avoid mentioning batarians, after what happened to her family on Mindoir.

Shepard raised her brows. "Well, there's a lot of that. Just came down to say that we found a lead, here, on the Citadel. Best check it out before we head out. Garrus, Kaidan. You're up."

"You got it."

"Yes ma'am."

"Suit up. I'll see you at the airlock. Liara, mind if I have a quick word?" She asked, holding an arm out to her counters.

"Yes, commander."

"Liara," Shepard started once her door was closed. "I want to thank you. For your help on Eden Prime, and for helping our guest get settled in. You've been a great fighter, a damn good biotic. You'd be welcomed on the Normandy if you so choose."

"I...ah- I did not expect that commander," Liara smiled with uncertainty.

"I thought I should ask. Everyone has a reason for being here, I just wanted to see where you stand."

"I like it here, the people and atmosphere is unique. But in all honesty, my reason would be to see more of Javik. How he acts, fights, his biotics. His species has been a focus of mine for the past fifty years."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "Fifty? How old are you exactly?"

"I hate to admit it but I am only a hundred and six."

"I heard the asari were long lived but I never knew."

"You have to take scientific advances in to consideration too, commander. Before then, it was much less likely that we would live past a thousand."

Shepard could not help but laugh at that, earning confusion and concern in response.

"Anyway," Shepard breathed. "It has been a pleasure having you abroad," she held out her hand.

"And a honour to be here," Liara returned the gesture, giving as strong a handshake as she could.

* * *

"Where are you going after this, Wrex?"

Wrex looked over Cora's Den, he was getting tired of all the noise of the Citadel. The place was just all talk and no bite in comparison with the krogan home world. Then again, nothing could replace Tuchanka, but he had undertaken some pretty challenging jobs.

"After I kill Fisk, my job's done. I'll find another," one blood red iris focused on her, the pupil thin and sharp. "Why?" He questioned. His voice low and grumbling.

"I'll need a good team to take down Saren. You would be paid for your time aboard the Normandy, of course."

Wrex hummed, glancing over to the c-sec turian crew member who was checking for any external security. "Can't say that I've fought with two Spectres before."

"What about a prothean?"

He chuckled darkly. "So, the rumours are true. Your crew is a real freak show."

"Can't deny that," Shepard laughed. "And I'm going to need to see you in a fight before I make any investment."

Wrex cocked his shotgun, watching the turian make his way back. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Wrex paused from their examination of the weaponry provided by the requisitions officer. He could feel someone eyeing him. He turned, rifle still in hand, to meet the glaze of something he had never seen before.

"Prothean, right?" He chuckled. "Never seen a krogan before?"

Javik stepped forward. "Yours was one of the few few races, primitive or otherwise, that offered my people a challenge."

"Hold the highest body count, did we?" Wrex smirked.

"Second only to the protheans," he stopped a few paces from the krogan. "Last I saw your planet, I did not think anything would survive."

Wrex's smirk grew wider, fangs flashing in the low light. "Anything from Tuchanka is impossible to kill."

Javik nodded, the corners of his lips tugging. "They always were," he turned and took his leave. It was only when the elevator doors closed behind him, that he sighed.


	5. Chapter Five

"A friendly geth," Ashley leant back in her chair, casting a leg over her knee. "Forgive me for finding that hard to believe."

"It was not friendly," Tail demanded, "The geth drove my people from our home."

"It must some sort of angle," Kaidan thrust his hand forward.

"I don't know how else to explain it," Nihlus added.

"Guilt?" Garrus brought up.

"Guilt?!"

"The turian speaks reason."

All eyes moved to the lone prothean, leaning against a wall in the corner of the communications room.

Garry's pointed to himself. "This turian?"

"How so Javik?" Shepard asked.

"The machines of this cycle rebelled because their creators attacked. Machines of my cycle were capable of understanding emotions, and they could form attachment to an organic over their own," he crossed his arms. "From what I have seen, the geth are under the control of the reapers. There reasons are unclear. But these matters are regardless. A machine is still a machine, more alien than we are to each other."

Shepard paused for a moment before nodding to herself. "If they are indoctrinated, they could be potential allies."

"You can't be serious," Tail stood.

"At the very least, the geth may go back behind the veil, and the reapers lose cannon fodder."

"No. They are not to be trusted," Javik went on to explain; "Organics don't know how we were created. Some say by chance, some say by miracle. It is a mystery. But synergies..." His shoulders hunched with a soft but sharp growl.

"Know we created them," Shepard finished.

"And they know we are flawed."

"In what way exactly?" Garrus hummed.

"They are immoral. We are not. They see time as an illustration. We are trapped by its limitations," Javik began to rub his hands together, running his large fingers harshly over his wrists. "Above all, machines know the reason they were created."

"Exactly," Tail agreed.

"They serve a purpose, while we search aimlessly for ours," he continued. "In their eyes, organics have no reason to exist. Do not trust them commander."

"I can't believe there isn't some way for us to co-exist. Anger will only lead to more fights and more wars, people and machines will die for nothing but more hate. We made them."

"And then gave them the power to surpass you. There is room for only one order in the galaxy. The perfection of the machines. Or the chaos of the organics."

"Indoctrinated or not. We have to stop them, protect Feros. And if that can all be done without killing everything, I'll be happy."

Golden eyes met forest green.

"If you insist, commander."

* * *

Shepard thanked the hanar shop keeper, while also trying not to visualise what a hannar would look like holding a shotgun. It was a hard image to get out of her head. Could they use weapons?

She ducked away with a smile. She had planned to head straight to c-sec, till she caught the familiar flash of red armour. There was Javik, sitting on the same stone bench he had been yesterday.

"Commander," he greeted as she approached, but did not turn his head.

"You seen to like it up here. I heard that your people lived by large bodies of water."

"From whom I wonder."

She sniggered. "Okay, so a certain someone on the ship may have told me. What do you think of the Citadel anyway? Have you ever..."

He shook his head. "The Citadel was a myth to my people, a dream glimpsed only in the memory shards. It was both the heart of our civilisation, and its demise. No one I knew had ever seen the Citadel. To be here...I don't know what to think."

"It may not seem like much, but there's a prothean standing- sitting on it now. If even one prothean survives, it's a win. Even if it does not feel like it."

"Thank you, commander," there was a pause before he moved aside, his hands pooling in his lap.

She took the space next to him. There was not a lot of room, leaving them only inches apart, but she was not going to waste an opportunity due to a little discomfort. Javik was far from a social being.

"What will you do once this is all over?"

"I don't know commander. I was raised to fight, and not much else."

"What about a place to call home? A lovely lady?" She grinned.

"In my cycle, the females raised the children alone. Males gave their DNA only, warriors could not afford to be distracted. We needed fighters, and even more for the future," he looked out to the clear lake, grimacing at an item of trash floating in it. "It was the only way we were going to continue existing, even if we were long ago doomed."

"You never knew who your father was?"

Javik was silently thankful that she did not feel the need to pity. She never did. She listened and questioned, sometimes make these little comments that he could not help but be amused by, but never pitted.

"I did. In the biological sense. It was my birth mother I never knew."

That threw Shepard until she remembered something. "She was an asari?"

"Never tell the asari."

"Promise. And it's Liara," she crossed her arms and let out a breath. "I never would have guessed that."

"We stayed away from the young for their survival, but as we started to lose people, we needed more children. Later, we prepare them for the war they would one day have to fight. They seemed like the species with the greatest chance of taking to the stars."

Shepard nodded. Fascinated.

"The asari thought of us as mystical beings. The mission we undertook to save the asari from the oravores became a legend from what I have read. A battle between gods."

"Another thing I can't tell her. Great," she held up her hand. "Wait, I thought they could sleep with any species but their babies come out asari?"

Javik nodded. "We were not aware of this, their minds worked similar to ours, as did their biology. We assumed that the children would have some asari traits, and their biotic abilities, but would stay mostly prothean," he smirked. "We trained their services in exchange for showing them objects they would never learn to use, even in their thousand year life-span."

"Like what?"

He exhaled slowly, thinking for a few seconds. "A modern day equivalent would be a toaster. You may tell her that."

"I am not telling Liara your people traded sex with hers for kitchen appliances," she lowered her face into her hands, a smile on her lips.

"It would be entertaining."

"Stop it," she warned.

"If she always walks around so blind, she will die long before she makes it into the real world."

"She's still a child in asari terms."

"Our children were not given such freedom. They never would have made it," his fingers and palms became to run over each other. "The price of such a thing was death. And wasted resources."

"Do you wish you could have met her? Your birth mother."

Javik turned, for the first time meeting her green irises. "She traded me for a toaster."

"Who said she ever got that choice?"

He hummed, his vocals hitching with soft growl. "You make a good point, commander."

"You said that you assumed? What did you mean by that?"

Javik said nothing for a while before he leant forward, resting an arm on his amour plated thigh. "With science, we were able to stop some asari overriding our genetic material by changing how their biology reacted to our own. The first wave of children were born asari."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. They were raised by asari and lived long past our demise."

"My family raised me on a colony called Mindoir," a light broken laugh pulled from her lips, her eyes flickering away before returning once more. "They wanted to give me a good childhood, growing up on a farm, surrounded by green plants and fresh water. They were killed by slavers," she huffed. "Every species greatest desire, is for their children to not have to be scared. To grow up, happy and healthy. With freedom."

Javik looked out to the lake. "I released the geth."

Shepard cocked a brow. She had not expected that reply. "What do you mean?"

"Eden Prime. I fought a geth unit, I saw it was indoctrinated and wanted to see what it would do if I fixed it. It did not attack. Just left."

"Why?" She leant forward, elbows on her thighs. "Out of everyone, I never thought you would even consider the idea."

"No one should be left to be used like a tool," he leered at the same piece of trash, some sort of metal container.

"No one?" It was a galactic known fact that AIs were dangerous, that machines were made to make the lives of organics easier and nothing more, even when the response of a simple VI filled her with childish glee. To be able to meet and speak with a mech had been a dream, even if the replies were calculated and limiting.

These thought were something she should have grown out of a long time ago, especially as she was from the first generation of children growing up with knowledge of the geth, and the potential that all AIs could and would develop. But there was that part of her that wished she could meet one without fear, the part of her that smiled when Tail showed her combat drone. The part of her that was saddened when she believed that the geth were willingly working for the reapers.

In short, she never expected to hear someone think of them as anything different that a machine. And never to refer to it like it was truly alive.

Javik tensed, his whole body seeming to fold into itself. He stood. "I will see you on the ship, commander."

Shepard did not say anything as he left.

He was so hard to read.

* * *

"Come in," Shepard called as she heard gentle knocking upon her door.

"Commander," Liara stepped inside. "I wish to join your mission."

"You've been acting off since we heard that recording," Shepard span around in her desk chair. "You know that voice don't you?"

"Matriarch Benezia. She is a powerful leader among my people. And..." She looked down to her shoes. "My mother."

Shepard stood. "I'm sorry."

Liara shook her head. "It is not your fault. Whether she is under Saren's control, the reapers or, goddess forbid, her own..." She lifted her face with a sharp breath. "She must be stopped."

"We will do everything we can to save her. I swear."

Liara nodded. "I know, commander."

"Welcome aboard," Shepard held out her hand, the grip that surrounded Liara firm.

"Thank you," the asari's voice was soft but determined.


	6. Chapter Six

"Javik," Commander Shepard spoke with a finger to her ear piece. "The water should be flowing now."

_"It is, commander."_

_"We have found the source of the Geth transmission,"_ Nihlus announced.

"Any trouble?"

_"No more than normal."_

_"Is it strange how accustom we have become to the geth?"_ Liara questioned.

* * *

"In my cycle, some would try to pretend that there was no war. It made their indoctrination all the more possible," Javik spoke. He glanced over to the two human soldiers from the Normandy, who were with Fai Dan and his team at the main entrance. He observed as the Williams-human raised a gloved five fingered hand to her ear.

 _"Well, aren't you positive,"_ Ashley commented.

 _"And here I thought you two would get on,"_ Shepard said. _"You're both a pair of arrogant assholes."_

Javik smiled, more so as he the young warrior jerked, but was disappointed when she laughed.

_"Anyhow. We're heading out. Keep the colony save. Something's not right about this place."_

Javik felt a tightening in his gut. He immediately wanted to stop her, to ask to come along or at least tell her to take more people. It took him a few moments to realise she was right, his mind barely registering the chatter in his ear. A small group could move better; stay hidden and strike.

Once there was a pause, the last words said, he spoke up. **"Be careful, commander,"** before cutting off the connection.

He ducked around the temporary housing, with no remote idea where he was going, just away. Away from the dread in his chest, a dull ache, mixed with a crimping fear, the only relief seeming to be turning to the defection of the tunnels. To call her, to find her. To protect her.

She was the first person he trusted in a very long time. She was his friend.

* * *

Shepard made the final assault with her team. Wrex and Garrus made the perfect combination of long distance fire and face up combat, as she had rightfully guessed. The tech skills and biotics were were just an added advantage.

Geth had been everywhere, and krogan, which really had the commander pondering what else Saren could have in store. The krogan seemed normal, as normal as she knew them to be anyway. So the question of if they were being controlled was still unclear, either way, Wrex did not have an issue with killing them.

There was just something about knowing who you were fighting were being possessed. It felt wrong taking that shot that ended their existence. It felt like murder.

In any event, the sooner the geth ship was detached, the sooner the barriers were down, and they could head back to the colony. The lack of contact was making her anxious.

Shepard examined the ground floor from her position halfway up a staircase. Not a good tactical position with such a major trip hazard, but she did not have a lot to work with, as her vision had been obstructed by scaffolding. It turned out she did not have anything to worry about as all the geth were already dead on the floor.

She checked for any hidden stalkers before she made the corner, to see a geth standing at a console.

It was a basic stock trooper. It had an assault rifle slotted into its hip, and a sniper rifle on its back, neither of which it reached to grab. Even when there was no possible way it could not have known that she and her team were there, having took out mutable geth leading up to this point. What caught her attention was what she heard. Something other than clicks and mechanical squawks.

"We mean you no harm," the geth spoke.

"Am I the only one that heard that?" Shepard asked, forest eyes trained on the armed helm.

"Defiantly not," Garrus spoke up.

"Good. Just checking. What do you want?"

"Some of our platforms have joined with the old machines. We do not wish to be part of that. We are working to stop them."

"You're willing to kill your own?" She asked, glancing briefly at the sheer multitude of deactivated machines.

"We do not wish to be tools."

"Why aren't you affected?" Wrex asked in that deep rumbling growl of his.

The geth paused. Physically paused. A strange act for a machine that could solve a problem in milliseconds.

"This unit was. We joined with the machines to improve," it started to type again. Reaching the optimum pressure, it activated the shutter door.

The shutter door closed on one of ship attachments, loosening its hold on the ExoGeni facility. The ship slid down the side of the building with a cringe worthy screech of metal dragging against metal. Before hitting the ground with such a force that the building beside it shook.

Shepard and her crew kept their balance, weapons still trained.

"How did you get away?" She demanded. "Reapers don't seem like the type to let you go out of the goodness of their hearts."

"An organic broke the hold. Set this unit free."

Shepard's pistol loosened in her grip, her hands lowering slightly as she leant back on her hip. "And why would they do that?"

The geth unit turned. Shepard watched as it looked at her, just her.

"To give our species a chance at survive."

"Well, that was stupid," Wrex commented.

"Yes," Shepard holstered her weapon. "Yes, it was."

"Commander?" Garrus glanced over.

"I know what you're thinking, but I stand by my earlier statement. They're indoctrinated, we help, and cripple the reaper army in the process," her eyes returned. "We may even make some allies in the process."

"If you fight the old machines, then we will join you. This platform will act as a representation and communication."

"Just when I thought the Normandy could not become more of a freak show," Wrex breathed, but put his shotgun away all the same.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Garrus followed suit.

Shepard smiled. "Alright. Let's get out of here."

The geth followed as the team started to move.

"I have no idea how we're going to explain this."

"Mech in geth's clothing?" Garrus suggested. "Infiltrate the enemy."

"Geth do not infiltrate."

"I'm pretty sure I'm either dead or in a coma since Eden Prime. Because this is starting to get ridiculous."

"Why would deactivation be preferable?"

Wrex shrugged. "Beats doing nothing."

"Beats c-sec," Garrus agreed.

"Too many voices speak. We do not know how you understand without a consensus."

Shepard ran a gloved hand through her hair, sighing when the act dislodged some of the dark locks from her bun. "I need a drink."

"We do not comprehend the organic fascination with self-poisoning."

* * *

Shepard reached back for the last of her concussion granaries, filled with low level nerve gas. She knew she would not be quick enough. She looked away as Fai Dan pulled the trigger.

He fell to his knees, then to the floor, his blooded and broken skull cracking against the stone.

"Commander! Look out!"

She snapped out of her hypothesised stare at the sound of Kaidan yelling to her. She quickly realised his fear, and moved to the side, blocking the geth unit from the biotic's raised pistol.

"The hell, commander?" Ashley appeared along side the solider. Followed by Nihlus and Liara.

"Is everyone safe?"

"They're at the ship," Kaidan shook his head. "What's going on, commander?"

"Good. That's good."

"Commander!"

"Shepard-commander. The organics are becoming aggressive. Suggest male unit disarmed, female unit disabled. Behaviour unpredictable."

"Just wait until you met Tali and Javik."

"It can speak?" Liara looked the machine up and down. "How?"

Garrus pointed a covered talon to the geth. "It's the geth spokesperson."

"On our side," Shepard assured.

"We mean no hard to organics at this time."

"Not helping..." Shepard turned her head. "What do I call you?"

"We are geth."

"No. What do I call you?"

"We are geth."

"No- ah," she let out a breath, thinking over her wording. "What is this platform in front of me called?"

"We are all geth."

"Commander," Nihlus cut it. "We should come back to this later."

Shepard nodded. "Agreed," her vision returned to the body of the man she had spoke to hours ago. With an unconvinced but order following crew at bay, she approached Fai Dan, kneeing down next to him.

He had been so strong. Fought so hard, but he was already too far gone. He never had a chance. She wanted to apologise. She should have done more, thought further, even when she knew there was a small chance anything she could have done would have changed something. It was pure luck that they had saved as many as they had.

There was nothing that could have been done for him, and choosing to leave on his own terms had stop her from being to one pull the trigger, to let the blood splatter. But it did not make her feel any better. Just dirty, like her fingertips were thick and heavy with his blood.

"We'll go on ahead. Make sure all the survivors are safe. And keep the geth away from the Normandy until we're back," she said as she stood.

"Condolences."

The coarse, metallic voice made Shepard turn. She met the white light of his lamp. Whether the geth meant it or not, she was not sure, but she did not question what was said.

"I could say the same to you."

* * *

"A geth?!" Tali cried. She started to pace back and fourth. "How could you let a geth anywhere near the colony, let alone on the ship?!"

"Not on the ship. Outside the ship."

"Not much of a difference."

Shepard held back making any comments. Sensing it may have not been the best time.

"And you all agree with this?" Tali motioned to the crew.

"We trust the commander," Kaidan spoke up. "She has the best interests of the Galaxy in mind."

"Even you?" Tali said to Wrex.

"I'm being paid. The plan is a long shot but good."

"Risky as all hell you mean, and likely to blow up in our faces, but still good," Garrus added.

"My kind of plan."

"Do not let it on the ship," Javik growled from his usual position where he leant against the wall in the corner of the room.

"The geth wants to help."

"They can not be trusted. Why would you put yourself in danger like that?" He shoved at the wall, pushing himself away. His carapace was low, giving his already furious golden eyes, a sharpen appearance. "Do you want to die, primitive?"

"I am doing what I believe is right," she stepped towards him.

Javik met her. "You will only get yourself killed. Are you that much of a child that you would die for such a pathetic ideal?"

 **"Then why set it free?"** Shepard spat. She could feel all the sets of eyes on her, and with good reason. Being able to speak a dead language out of the blue was a very interesting skill.

Javik's breath caught. He blinked, his layered armoured exoskeleton relaxing.

**"What do you mean?"**

**"An organic broke the indoctrination. Unless someone knows how, that was you. The geth agreed that the reapers need to be stop. They are willing to help us. All because you set one free,"** she paused for breath. Speaking prothean felt so natural. Maybe because she could slip into it at will, and yet, at the same time, she had to think about it. Think about pronouncing that she had never learnt, but it felt like she had always understood.

This must have been what it was like before the translators. But with thankfully a lot less work. Although nearly dying was not pleasant.

**"You don't know anything."**

**"Then tell me. Why would you help a machine-"** A memory trickled in, something that reminded her of what the geth had said. **"No one should be used as a tool."**

Javik crossed his arms.

**"I'm sorry for what happened to your people. And we will stop this. We will stop the reapers, we will destroy them. But you need to trust that I will do all that I can for that to happen."**

Two sets of dual irises flickered away before returning. Javik moved around the commander, towards the exit. **"I do not wish to lose another dear to me."**

Shepard watched him go, not sure what to make of his words. How he spoke, even in his own tongue, never left a clear path of interpretation. But the word 'dear' sparked something.

Something that stuck long after after he left. As she talked Tali into using the situation to learn more about the geth, as she plotted their next journey. Even as she lay in bed that night.

Someone dear.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The romantic aspect of this story won't be long now. Hang in there.

Javik had been avoiding Shepard for the past two weeks. She walked into a room, he walked out. He never stayed in his dwelling for long, which was unlike him. Like he was trying to keep away from her at all coats, which was not a hard thing to do on a warship. As small as it was.

With no signs of Saren, Shepard took the time to travel to a shuttle in the Kepler verge, and a planet in the Phoenix system of the Argos Rho. To fill some person favours for Garrus and Wrex.

Tail was stilled annoyed at the commander, but some information as to how the geth had upgraded themselves since the separation from their creators, had gone a long way. The information was further improved upon by their resident geth down in the hull. Plus, removing geth strong holds from an entire system would do a lot of good in the long run.

It felt good to help out her crew, and to help corporal Toombs. Hackett had confirmed that the secret group known as Cerberus, were once part of the Alliance. The special operations sector was discontinued for good when a majority of their outrageously atrocious acts were discovered.

None of this information ever left the high command of the Alliance. As the findings came at the time humans were finally settling in with the other embassies, and the introduction of the first batch of human c-sec officers. An amazing step forward, and not just because humans were being trusted to protect the people of the citadel.

Before that, turians were pretty much the only race that acted as officers of the law. Salarians were strategists, who worked better at long rang. And the asari relied on biotics. The turians were the muscle, and with their solid beliefs in the hierarchy, and their strong sense of morals, honesty, and family. They were the perfect protectors.

When the two species had come together, they had naturally worked in sync. Something that seemed obvious now, but unbelievable back then. Even the times of prejudice and segregation were manageable. Everything had been, and in many ways, still was fragile, one wrong move could destroy everything. It felt surreal that the event was just over ten years ago.

Even though a lot had happened over the last two weeks, most of it was spend traveling. Even with the mass relays and a stealth ship like the Normandy, traveling the galaxy still took time. Time in which Javik did everything to avoid the commander.

Then there was speaking prothean. Understanding was once thing, could have been taken as guessing. But speaking? Major shit storm.

This was one of Shepard's theories as to why Javik was keeping his distance. If he did not like Liara prying, he would have jumped from the air lock himself at the look in her eyes. Like she was a few seconds from jumping up and down in excitement. And the rest of the crew were not much better. All of the crew were curious. Wrex and Nihlus joked about it, and the geth was indifferent. But even they had the odd question of what it was like. Not that she could really blame anyone.

* * *

Shepard walked along the cobblestone pavement leading into Demael Petal close. The area was enclosed in black metal fencing, with only a few wide spread houses, and filled to the brim with trees, a huge pond in the centre, and flowers everywhere. Demael flowers most of all, it was the name sake of the houses after all.

The newly appointed Spectre smiled as she saw a turian cutting a row of hedges into shape. He was tall and lean, like most turians, with silver, almost white plates, making the white clan markings up his forehead and along his brow plates near impossible to see.

"Working hard, Theo?"

The groundskeeper stopped at once and turned. "Shepard!" His mandibles flew wide, as did his arms.

She laughed, skipping forward, lifting her arms up and around his rib cage. As hugging a turian's waist was a very bad faux pas.

Shepard lay her head on his plated chest as his arms slid around her, one three fingered hand on her lower back, the other down to her side as he was holding a pair of hand shears. She smiled at the light purring in her ear. She had missed being home, eve with the little nostalgia working beside Nihlus and Garrus offered.

Turians were hard to read. After all these years she had leaned to notice the small twitches of their mandibles, changes in posture and general movement, which were human like for the most part. They could cold and standoffish to other species. The turians she knew however, to make her feel more welcomed, over-exaggerated their sub-vocals; which was the act of expressing emotions through low pitch vibrations in their chests. Growls and purrs were much easier to understand then dead silence.

The first time she was explained this, she had giggled, and said they were elcor-taking. She had been very young at the time.

Theo, full name Theodosios, gave his years to the military before returning to Palaven to study horticulture, and from there he became a groundskeeper as he looked more work on the Citadel. Even now, he still enjoyed his little side job, it was simple and peaceful. And it was how he and the human child had met. How Theo and older cousin Lilihierax, had discovered a secret very few knew.

"It's good to see you again," he said as he pulled back, stopping to hold his forehead to hers for a moment before moving from their embrace. "If you're here to ask about fish in the Presidium, I'm going to have to brake some bad news to you."

"I was ten!"

"Not a good excuse, little lady."

Shepard crossed her arms. "Think you can talk that way to a Spectre?"

"I heard about that. I can't believe you didn't come to see me. We could have sat under the trees with a few drinks. Like back when you got into the N7 program."

"And we will. Just as soon as I've taken down Saren and stopped a race of machines from destroying the Galaxy."

"Ah," he placed a talon to his flat nose. "One of those classified missions you can't tell me a thing about."

"Exactly," she opened her mouth but then closed it. She was not sure if she wanted an answer to her next question. "Do you believe me?"

Theo huffed a laugh. "Of course I believe you. Your dad does too. Who do you think told me? Now whether you have been lied to is the issue. And by the sprites, I hope you have been."

Shepard smiled. "Thanks. I can deal with people thinking I'm crazy, as long as we get to stop this war from ever happening."

"Your prothean friend seems pretty determined."

"Had we not been talking about an incoming war, and with my ass on the line. I might have laughed," she shook her head, remembering the insults Javik had thrown at the councillors.

"Is he always that expressive?"

"I think he's still a little egged off about being the only prothean, surrounded by 'primitives'," she rolled her eyes. "When we were on Feros, he said that humans had come a long way from hiding in caves and throwing rocks at wildlife."

The silver turian laughed. "So, an entertaining bunch?"

"For sure," she crossed her arms. "So, have I missed anything?"

Theo hummed. "Li has been working in Noveria for a while. He contacted me a few days ago. Corruption isn't uncommon, but he told me that a lot of the law enforcement are being paid under the table."

"That's worrying," Shepard frowned. "I'll looked into it.

Theo held up his hands. "You don't have to."

"I've got the time, and it's important. Plus, I haven't seen Li since last year," she grinned wildly. "My new ship has a M35 Mako."

He laughed. "Oh, Li would love that," he ran a hand up along his crown. "I still remember when he taught you to drive a hover car."

"Dad nearly cried."

"He will forever deny that."

"Has your driving improved?"

"I'm a great driver."

"That's a no then."

"Very funny," Shepard shook her head.

"Anyway. You should get going. Don't want to take up all your shore leave. But before you leave, would you mind talking with Oraka?"

"Did something happen?"

"He took retirement hard. Started meeting with the consort Sha'ira."

"Oh dear," Shepard raised a hand to her head. "What happened?"

"He wanted a relationship. She told him no. He has yet to leave Cora's Den."

"You're right. This is of vital importance. I'll go there now."

Theo grabbed hold of her shoulder as she turned away. "Ah, ah. Go see your dad first."

"Damn. So close," She grinned. "Alright," she pressed up onto her toes so she could slap a hand at the turian's shoulder. "I'm heading home. I'll see you later."

Theo patted her hand. "Good girl."

Shepard laughed.

* * *

 Shepard knocked her knuckles against the office door as she took hold of the handle.

"Welcome back," a voice called.

She pushed the door open, forest green irises met emerald.

"Spectre."

She nodded. "Councillor Sparatus."

Behind a solid camphor wood desk sat a chocolate brown turian, with white clan markings covering his forehead, nose, mandibles and chin. He smiled, showing his long white fangs as his jaw parted.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Shepard glanced away. "I guess we have not really talked since before Eden Prime."

Sparatus shock his head. "I was surprised when Nihlus brought your name forward as a Spectre candidate. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been. You were never easily beat. Or at all really," he stood, making his way to the large cabinet sitting along the back wall. He opened one of the upper doors, taking two tumbler glasses between his wide spaced talons. Then he took two bottles from the lower shelves; one a honey brown, the other a dark green.

"Luckily. I was able to convince the council that Nihlus should take the role as your mentor, as he was the one who chose you."

"Thanks," she took the brown drink as it was offered. "Does he not normally do this?"

"First time. He's a natural but still relatively new. We don't have set people for this sort of thing. But humans are new, which is why we wanted a veteran to train and evaluate them."

"Is that what Saren was doing for Anderson?" Shepard asked, taking her spot in one of the corners of a large black leather sofa, made from Palavan bovine.

"And Nihlus," Sparatus settled in his arm chair, sipping at his drink.

"Nihlus?" Shepard's maroon brows shot up.

"Saren was a decorated solider and a good Spectre. But Nihlus is a great Spectre, not just brute force. He's level headed, as humans say," he placed his glass down on the coffee table. "I can't say for sure what happened on the mission that terminated Captain Anderson's Spectre status. But I never could have believed that Saren would be capable of something like this."

Shepard took a sip, humming at the sharp shiver of whiskey. "He was going to train me."

"Even without what happened with Anderson, I would not have let that happen. Not with his history in the first contact war."

"Is that why he hates humans?"

"His brother died in the war," Sparatus shifted in his seat. "I knew Saren. We fraught together."

"You never told me," Shepard leant forward, arms resting on her thighs.

"We were not friends, but we both lost people. Those were troubling times; for both humans and turians," the councillor knitted his talons. "How long will you be here?"

"Leaving tomorrow. We're only staying to get supplies. We still have a lot of ground to cover."

He nodded. "Then I ask that you stay here. Your room is just the way you left it. And I have stake in the fridge."

Shepard placed her glass down with the other. "Aaaand I've been won over," she said, allowing her body to fall into the firm fabric.

Sparatus' mandibles fluttered, his brows softened, and a soft chuckle left him.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tuchanun? I know. Really? But the term seemed logical.

Artois Sparatus hated working in politics sometimes. It required a clear mind and an unbiased personally...no. Not really. Appearing that way was what mattered. The dirty details were either very well hidden, stayed out of public knowledge long enough to cause reasonable doubt or were forgotten about.

In short, it was not at all what he had imagined. Where the stupid silly things were thought more of than the galactic issues effecting his people and the other races.

His people were making peace with the humans, a slow and agonising process, but it had purpose. And the other races of the council were demanding more from the already forced truce. Only fools would want the war to keep running, and the two races were a lot alike. Had they been a joint force during the krogan rebellion, they might have had the Tuchanun race beat.

Sparatus was happy he was only the representative of the colony world Teatrus, he had power over Teatrus alone, still impressive, but he was no senator on the citadel, or spirits forbid, the turian councillor.

But, once again, appearance was everything, so he had took the advise from his fellows. To drum up the reminder that he was still that kid who joined the army, leaving behind his family estate in Madra. Spirits watch over them. And that even with an education on the Citadel, and a large sum of family money backing him. He was the average turian. Even when everyone knew no common turian would have gone so far on skill alone.

So here he was, having what felt like days ago, exited a shuttle to a remote human colony which had recently been raided by Batarain pirates.

He had walked along the burnt and bloodied streets. Stopping when he saw the blazing building, the crowds of crying families calling out for those they had lost, corpuses littered the streets, like shells along a beach. It had been a war zone. There was no other way to describe it. It was a horror to be seen, a nightmare made to never be lived.

He wanted to rush from the colony, from the sickness he felt standing there in his fancy flashy amour, trying to look good for the respect of his people. Even when this was the race that took his people, that stole him of sleep, and left him covered in scars; both physical and mental.

Now, however, everything was wrong. There humans had never done anything wrong. They only wanted to have a better life. This may have been what was expected of him, but not if they could see what he saw. These things were so much easier on paper. Just pretend to care, wish the people well, and be on his way. Head back to the Citadel, or better yet, Palavan and raise support for funds. There would be some but not enough to make a real impact.

He just wanted to be gone from this place. To stop seeing a world that he could not change. But he stayed, he had to. He helped patch up the people, doing the best he could do without medi-gel. They needed real help.

He made some calls, and with a lot of convincing, he was able to get a group of medics sent his way. It was surreal to be working with humans, working to save them. It felt right, which was the strangest thing. It should have felt wrong, logical yet wrong. But logic and compassion were not the most used weapons in war.

* * *

This lead to where he was at this very moment. Wondering the nearby ruined forests, the trees and ground black from the fire. The air filled with the stench of burned plants, along with the lingering tang of fuel.

In the mess of it all, he saw something white. In the low light it was hard to tell what it was, but as he grew closer the shape became more clear. It was a large bundle of cream, soft looking fabric, possibly prosthetic silk. It was smudged with mud and ash, and it had tears in it; leaves and small pieces of wood were collected in some of the spaces, like the whole thing had been dragged through a hedge.

Sparatus paused as he reached what looked to be a blanket. Sticking out of the top were deep red...feathers? Was there a bird under it?

He took hold of the blanket and tugged it away. There lay a little human girl, her red hair had been what he had seen. She was dressed in a sky blue dirtied dress, and a pair of boots, likely a farmer's child. Her eyes were a deep green, and they stared into his. There was fear but she did not show it.

The opposite really. She struck, swung out a kitchen knife between her small pale hands.

* * *

Sparatus patted his bare talon along the small scar that ran along his mandible, just below his clan marking. A reminder of the day her first met his little girl.

Shepard tapped her fork on the side of her plate in thought. "Protheans can share memories, feelings. Javik says it was vital in their culture. But it's like describing colour to someone who is blind. You don't learn to understand what you see and hear. You just do. Like it's a part of your brain that has never been used."

"You just know how to speak prothean?"

"Just like Javik can speak English. All he had to do was read me, my nervous system and mind, and that was it. Poof. Speaks my language. He does have a translator though. Prothean made. Says knowing all the other main languages would be too much, let alone all the hundreds of varieties that exist. He's interested in how the geth speak, said it would be possible to learn it, but harder to speak it."

"Interesting skill," Sparatus popped a chunk of meat into his mouth. He did not often consume levo-protein food, it was a rare pleasure due to it's toxic nature, but he did really enjoy the food. Plus, they were both taking medication, they had to, dextro-protein and levo-protein species living together would lead to cross contamination, no two ways about that.

Alcohol was the one thing that was a no go, and not just because levo-protein drinks was more acidic by nature. The chances of an allergic reaction were much stronger and effected the internal organs more directly.

"You don't know the half of it. Anything he can touch, he can read it's history. Who last read what book, the mood of every person who used to stair well in the last hour, which members of the crew are uncomfortable with aliens aboard. Protheans don't tend to keep secrets."

"I gathered."

"But that's not the really interested thing. You see, the beacon was not make to be seen by other species. It was made to receive messages directly from the Citadel, and ships in the area. The message was send for any survivors left around the cosmos," her expression pulled downcast.

She hated thinking about what happened, what would happen. The first attack would completely cripple their government, all the races would be scrabbling to fight back while the reapers ripped into them. Turning all the races into hollowed tools, destroying all their home planets and colonies. And they would be powerless to stop it.

"Point is. It was not exactly human friendly. Which is why I was unconscious for two days, but because I used it, I was able to take some of their abilities of understanding."

Sparatus blinked. "You can read objects?"

"Not quite. Do you remember when you met Javik? And he got a little annoyed?"

"More than a little."

"Can't really blame him. Came all this way for no one to believe him," Shepard gave a sarcastic frown and raise of her eyebrows.

"It sounded crazy. And I didn't want you getting drawn into some sort of conspiracy."

Shepard smiled. "Worried about me?"

"I'll always worry about you. Dads are like that," Sparatus smiled. "In what way do you understand?"

"I can speak Prothean."

Sparatus looked on for a few seconds. "That is impressive. Is it safe?"

"I feel fine and Javik wasn't worried. I've tried reading it too, I can but it makes me dizzy. But the whole thing is still new."

Sparatus crossed his arms. "The Normandy is a fascinating ship."

Shepard took a breath. "He's not the most unexpected crew member."

"Oh?"

This was not going to be fun.

* * *

Sparatus grabbed his stinging wound, huffing as he felt the think blue liquid tickle down his wrist. He wanted to remove his glove, feel the cut, but turians wore gloves to hide their talons from other races for a reason. They were still weapons after all, and were definitely something a little human girl would fear.

The girl sat on the blanket, blade between her hands, which was stained blue and red. She was panting, her hair ruffled, her eyes dead set on his.

"Are you hurt?"

The question made the girl tense, shucking in a sharp breath. She gripped the handle tighter.

Sparatus dropped his free hand to the floor, lowering himself to sit on the ground. He leant to the side, his legs laying out crooked to the left, his spears made it impossible to sit any other way.

Seeing no earpiece, he activated the external speaker. His voice echoed out in one of the main human languages. "There's blood on your hands. Are you hurt?"

"Why is it blue?" Her voice high pitched. Soft but stern. There was a strength under the thick mist of fear.

"My blood is blue. Like yours is red."

"Blood?" She shuffled further away, switching between looking to her blue on her hands, and the green in the turian's eyes.

"It's okay," he whispered. "My skin is armoured. It takes a lot to hurt me."

"It looks like it hurts."

"It does. You have a good swing. But I'm more worried about you. Are you okay?"

"Will you take me back?"

"To Mindoir?"

She nodded with a light hum.

"What about your family?"

She pulled her legs towards her, her little feet were bare, blackened and crusted in blood. "They're gone."

"I'm sorry," he shifted slightly, his identification slide clanging against his armour.

The girl jumped at the sound.

"It's alright, he grabbed the chain around his neck and pulled it out so he could grab what hung off it.

She eyed the thin blunted circle of metal. It was a silver colour, as was the chain, with symbols she had never seen carved into the mental. And as he span it, she saw a drawing cut into the back of the metal, the lines much thicker than on the front. They held the same design as the paint on his face.

"Dog tags?"

Sparatus cocked his head. "Dog tags?"

"Soldiers wear them."

"Oh. I see. Would you like to see them?"

She nodded.

The turian pulled them from his neck and chucked them over, landing by her bruised knees.

She hesitantly picked them up with one hand, the knife secure in her other.

"My name is Sparatus. Artois Sparatus. What's yours?"

She did not say anything for a while, running her tiny fingertip over the scratches in the metal, each line painstakingly carved by turian talons.

"Shepard."

Sparatus nodded as the definition came through. "Guardian and leader. A fine name."

Shepard giggled to herself. "To sheep."

"Shhheeep?" His brow plates drew.

She laughed once more.

* * *

"Alright," Shepard stepped into the large modern kitchen, fixing together the last of her amour. "That's me all set."

Sparatus stepped over, nudging her hands away so he could fasten the straps. "Have you come to your senses yet?"

"The geth is nothing to worry about."

"I'm sure its a real pressure to be around but I don't see why it has to be on your ship."

"To show trust. That organics and machines can live among. Even Tali got used to the idea. Javik not so much."

"Can you blame him? He came all this way-"

"Not. Funny."

"Hypocrite," Sparatus mumbled, dropping his forehead to hers. "Just promise me you will look out for yourself. You're my little girl, and I could never lose you. No father should have to endure that."

Shepard pressed back. "I promise."

Sparatus pressed his mouth plates to her hair line. "Good."


	9. Chapter Nine

Sparatus peeked in the medical shuttle before he snuck inside, listening out for any surprises as he made his way to the cargo section in the back. On his back was the red haired child, her small arms wrapped desperately around his neck, her legs around his rib cage. He knelt down next to a crate, directing her to sit on it. And chose to stay on the floor as he spoke.

"Is it just your feet that hurt? Are your hands painful too?"

She looked down to her hands, still clutching at the metal slide, which was stained with a mixture of blue and red, the areas in which they touched becoming a deep sickly purple.

"It's okay. You can keep hold of them. Why don't you put them around your neck?"

She nodded so softly, it was like she had barely moved. She placed the chain around her neck.

"Good. Can I have a look?"

"Okay."

Her voice was so meek that he just wanted to hold her. He feared that such an action could be misconstrued, however. He instead took hold of the base of one of his gloves.

"I need to get a proper looking. I need to take off my gloves."

"Okay."

He removed each of the gloves off slowly, glancing up to her when he showed his first set of black, razor sharp talons. To his amusement, she looked on with wonder. He took her hand in his, her own tucked in the dip of his palm, even with her fingers stretched she was far from touching the edge.

He reached a supply unit with his long arm, grabbing two canteens of water, followed by clean cloths and bandages. He unscrewed of the canteens and past it to her. He was unsure what of to make of the fact that she only sipped the bottle. Was she disguising her thirst or had she found water of her own?

With the other canteen, he held some folded cloth to the top as he tilted the container, wetting it but not leaving it damp. He gently cleaned her cuts and burns.

Mindoir had so much potential. Rich soil, a plentiful supply of water, and the government of earth were majorly supporting the development as it was rumoured to be practically riddled with Element Zero. It had been mined for the most part, but it was rooted in the land. And biotic abilities, while new to the human race, were a very valuable asset, especially those made so from exposure before birth.

Now it lay in ruins. Life here would be difficult, but not impossible. But for Shepard, the scars were too deep. Maybe she would become even stronger from being here, and maybe she grow to be a walking wreck of a human being. And if the blue pulses that radiated from her hands when he tired to convince her to return, were any indication. She was a biotic. An asset, not a child.

All Sparatus knew was that this little girl had asked for his help, begged for a better life with her forest eyes. And if he could get her somewhere better then he would.

Sparatus would forever question himself why he thought what he did was a good idea. But in that very moment, looking at the water glinting in her eyes, he remembered a human prisoner of war antagonising him about the injury the man had sustained to his leg. Laughing, and asking if the turian wanted to kiss it better.

Once Shepard's first hand was clear, Sparatus leant forward and placed his mouth plates to the largest cut.

Before he could pull away, Shepard's small fingers curled around his chin. Her body slumped forward, onto his plated head, her free arm once again sliding around his neck. He moved to rest his forehead on her shoulder, snaking his arms around her fragile rib age, and pulled her small soft body flush again his large, cold armoured one.

"You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

* * *

"Why are you alive?" the young girl demanded, switching from holding the stolen gun dangerously close to her head, to pointing it at Shepard. "Why aren't you-why aren't you like her? Broken. Fit only to dig and carry."

Shepard could feel an unbearable tightening knot in her gut. Guilt. She was filled with it, and not just because she was lucky enough to escape the Batarain slavers. She got another chance, raised by an inexperienced but amazing father. While this young woman was left captive, to try and put her master's bloodied bodies back together when the alliance came to save her.

"For a while, I was broken. I lost my whole family, Talitha. My friends, my childhood. I had to pull myself up and keep going."

"You lost your mummy and daddy but you don't dig and carry. You stand up. She wishes she could stand up."

Shepard took a step forward, standing right before the young woman. "You made yourself strong. You are strong. You just need to let the masters go. Meet people, find people to love and care for. Being with them makes you even stronger."

What would have happened to her had she fled the moment her feet touched the Citadel all those years ago?

* * *

"So, what happens to the..."

"Duct rats? Illness, suffocation, and everything else," the c-sec officer spoke. "The smart ones last but with no education, they're only going to go one way."

Above the two turians, stood a dark figure in a long black coat, on the crisscrossed mental flooring of the catwalk, resting his folded arms on the railing. In all the time he had spend in Citidel, he had never seen the formal turian in the Zekera ward until last week, now he seemed to be there everyday.

He was a growing politician, not a bad person, not an overly good one either. But his interest in the unfortunate was always good to see, the children most of all. Which many pretended did not exist.

He glanced around, looking for any hidden paparazzi, or some other ulterior motive. Someone that seemed out of place, or was acting unusual. He found both when he spotted a human girl. She was small, a good hand full of years before becoming a teenager.

She sat by a fish tank, staring dully into the water. She seemed lost. Her clothing was expensive but the colours did not blend, nor did the shoes match her outfit. Like her parents let her decide, or just plain did not know what they were doing. And she was holding clasped hands to her chest. Clearly the item hanging from the chain around her neck was special to her.

It was times like this, that he missed his own child. Which might very well have gone towards why he darted across the platform and dropped down beside her, with such grace that no one would have questioned his sudden appearance. Had he been a more common species he would have completely blended in, but alas, a drell was not an everyday occurrence.

"Do you like fish?"

Shepard tensed, turning to view the strange green skinned alien sitting a couple feet away.

"The planet I was born on is largely ocean. Full of fish. The sight of water always relaxes me."

"I like the fish," her eyes flickering over his shoulder.

"Do you like all animals?"

She nodded softly, her glance meeting his. "My parents used to have a farm."

The use of her wording and the way she tensed, turning away, was all the evidence he needed to understand that this farm was not the only thing that was gone. "I see. Do you have anyone here with you?"

Her eyes once again shot over his shoulder. He followed her vision. No one was looking her way, and no one really stood out overly. The two turians he had been listening in on just moments ago were directly in his sights but he paid them no mind...until he turned back to the little girl.

Between the cracks of her fingers, he saw the silver coloured item. He did not know what it was meant to be, but as she stuffed it under her shirt, to hide it from his searching eyes, he caught writing. Scrip from a language of Palavan.

"Do you want to live here? On the Citadel?"

"It's pretty. Safe," she mumbled.

He hummed. He knew the truth. For those who had money, it was. Without money, work, family, it was a another giant city to get lost in. Most of the duct rats ended up here from parents leaving them to numb their guilt of never wanting them, fully believing that their lives would be greatly improved.

He had seen this happen many times. His holo of one of the many lost souls felt heavy in his pocket.

The drell heard a sudden rapid sequence of soft clicks, the familiar sound of thick turian claws tapping against the inside civilians shoes. His dark eyes met that that of the formal turian, emeralds swamped by black fog meeting bright clear malachite.

His body was hunched, orbs unconsciously meeting the young human; filled with concern.

The drell stood, moving to stand before the turian, just out of hearing range of the human in the crowned area.

"You thought you could dump her here. But life will be hard for her," he took another step. "You should take her to the human embassy."

The turian twitched, his breath sharp. Any shock of discovery he felt was covered by a much stronger emotion. "So they can dump her on earth, to live on the streets?"

The drell blinked both sets of eyelids. The turian was right, Earth was not much better. But how personally he was taking this topic was interesting. He cared for the human.

"I take it she has no family."

The turian sighed, his head bobbing. There was no point denying it. "I am trying to find her a new home. And I've already looked into the embassy. I would be better off shouting in the street. Even charities are a lengthy process. Unless I tell them she's a biotic, but I can't be sure what life she would have," his eyes went over the drell's shoulder. "She deserves more than that."

The assassin stood there for a moment, mind processing all that he had heard. "You really want to help the girl."

The turian nodded, his stance strong and defensive. "I'll look after her for as long as it takes."

"She should be with someone who cares for her."

Shepard observed the alien and Sparatus as they talked. She watched as her guardian's eyes flew wide, his upper body moving back, and for a second, their eyes met.

There was something there, something her young mind would soon forget, but the one thing she remembered, was the feeling of safety. That one way or another. Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

Sparatus walked from the wards, Shepard lead so he could watch her. She walked along the other side of the street, as she had been instructed beforehand.

A turian with a human was an odd sight to see after all. Odd enough to warrant a c-sec officer's attention. More so when some of them was not an adult.

It was not until they had made it to the parking lot, safely hidden in Sparatus' hover car, that the turian spoke. "You could live with me."

Shepard raised her head. "For how long?"

"For as long as you want," Sparatus underwent his basic checks, before releasing all the breaks, and allowing the vehicle to lift from the ground. "My house is large. I would have to home school you. And most of all, we would have to continue pretending we don't know each other. But if you are okay with that. Then you are welcome to live with me. And I'll do all I can to help-"

Sparatus glanced down to the pressure on his wrist, to see little human fingers sat on his silk sleeve, only just covering the width of the thinnest part of his arm. He took one naked hand from the wheel and placed in on hers, completely enclosing her in his warm grasp, his clawed fingers spread out so not to cut her.

He had contemplate taking her in himself. He had looked her after for the past week. Filled his cupboards with as many human foods as he could find because he had no idea what everything was. Gave her his bed, as it was the only one in his apartment. Only to wake up to find her curled up in his arm chair, next to the sofa he was sleeping on. He tired to convince her to use the bed, but she always snuck back.

He had brought her films for them to watch together, a bundle of soft earth animal toys. The money spent was all worth it to see her smile. Even when he was confused with all the strange noises she started making. Which he guessed to be the sound effects of the animals. She had laughed at the look on his face. And would every so often produce a new sound just to leave him frazzled. Her laugh was adorable.

He had never thought of himself as the parenting type until he had snapped at the drell, that he cared for Shepard. He shocked himself by just how much he really cared for her. Even though she confused him, and he wore out from all the worries that plagued his mind. She felt like a fixture of his life. A stability, like his family had once been, before illness and lack of connection took that from him.

She was his little girl.


	10. Chapter Ten

"Shepard-commander," the geth greeted as Shepard entered the drive core.

She planned on having a quiet moment with the synthetic, to discuss the good news. Ashley had suggested a pretty clever name for the newest crew member, to end all the confusion of who they were talking to. Referring to the geth as such, or the platform in front of me, was getting tiring.

This was when she got a ping on her omni-tool, from said machine, with a request for her presence in precisely sixteen minuets. It was an odd thing to ask but she did so, only to receive a message from Tali five minutes, asking for a meeting at the same location.

The sight she arrived to was interesting to say the least.

"What am I looking at?"

Tali was standing with crossed arms, facing the geth who was making the same gesture. "It won't take it off."

"I think you have a fan, commander," Kaidan commented from where he was leaning against the railing separating the crew from the drive core.

The geth was wearing a hoodie. The very sentence would have had Shepard grinning, imaging the machine trying to pull it on was hilarious, but seeing the end result? It was kind of cute. The black material was stretched over his large frame, any more strain and the stitching would have snapped. The black covering over the bulk made the geth almost looked human, if it was not for the curved flashlight head stuck out the restricting opening.

The hoodie was worm from previous use, and on one side of the breast was a little red and white N7 icon. Even without that, the red bar down the right arm was pretty distinctive.

"Why are you wearing my hoodie?"

"Its yours?" Tali turned at that.

Behind the scene, engineer Adams and his workers pretended that they could not hear what was going on, but the whole situation was far too comical to pass up.

"Geth are viewed as a threat. This platform unintentionally provokes hostility. We are testing theories before we can build a consensus," the geth explained.

"We could get you a sombrero?" Kaidan pointed out.

"Researching. The item is currently being sold on the Citadel. Additionally, the planet Earth sells the item but locations are uncertain. The extrenet is the recommended choice. Would you like a purchase to be made?"

"Please don't tempt me," Shepard pleaded.

"Keelah, Shepard," Tali sighed, hand against her helmet.

"He's just trying to make everyone comfortable."

"It," Tali corrected.

"Which reminds me," the commander turned back to the geth. "What do you think of the name Legion? For you," as it raised it's panels, she continued. "My name is Legion, for we are many."

"That is...clever," Tali admitted.

"Ashley's idea," that was Ash. A hard ass but a poetic. Believed in a lot; family, the military, religion. But trusted no more. Getting her to talk was like pulling teeth at times. Then again, few of the Normandy squad took to talking about their problems easily.

"Christian bible; gospel of Mark, chapter 5, verse 9. We acknowledge this is an appropriate metaphor," the newly appointed Legion agreed. "Shepard-commander. What is the back storage for?"

"The hood? To keep warm," she stepped over, standing up on her toes so she could reach over his shoulders and grab the fabric, pulling in over. The hood had always been unnecessarily big, even so, it only just covered the top of his helm. "How is that not funny?"

The stifled laugh caused the crew members to turn their heads. It was one of the engineers, her shoulders slumped and shaking, head ducked behind a datapad Adams was holding up to attempt hide her shame.

"Shepard-commander. Crew member engineer Mathers is experiencing a repetition auto malfunction."

"That's laugher, Legion. Organics do that when he find something funny. Something that makes us happy enough to have a physical reaction," Kaidan explained.

His panels expanded out. "Is our entire pleasing?"

"For sure," Shepard smiled, stepping back to lean with Kaidan. "If all geth dressed up, I think the fear factor would take a serious hit."

"I would like to be there when you suggest that to the council," Kaidan smiled.

"Don't remind me. There's a reason I have not mentioned this. I had to calm my dad down for an hour after I told him."

Turains were not the panicking sort. But they were very protective, almost possessive in human terms. Not publicly, turians almost never outwardly showed their emotions. Sparatus had freaked out when she told him about having a geth on her team. It took some convincing, and a bucketload of reassurance, even now, she was getting pings for updates.

"Commander," a thick accented voice greeted from the door. "Quarian, I would like to know-"

Shepard had not heard that voice in a long while, and the very moment she looked up, Legion turned his helm, showing a very stunned Javik who was under her hood. His eye were as wide as they could go, his lips parted, and he instantly pulled his body back, producing pure biotic energy in one of his hands.

"Javik!" Shepard yelled, already moving forward with her hands raised to stop him attacking. But to her surprise, once their eyes met, he did indeed stop. He was panting softly, and it was then that she realised he had not acted in annoyance but in surprise.

He frowned, his carapace weighting down, making his anger even the more clear. He turned with a growl, vocals dipping into a jagged purr; like a sheet of layered corrugated iron being battered by the wind. Much like turians, protheans did not appear resistant to their more primal sounds. Although the growling may have just been a Javik thing.

"Well, he's never going to talk to me again," Shepard mumbled as Javik bolted from the room.

"What happened between you too?" Tali questioned. "He seems more upset with you personally."

"I'm not entirely sure. But he has made it pretty clear he dose not want to be near me. Not unless we're fighting."

"We have been almost completely on the ship lately."

"I have an idea," Kaidan moved forward. "When I first joined the alliance, our commander had us release stress with biotic practice."

"Letting Javik chuck biotics at me in a moving ship, far from any breathable plants. That's sure to go down a treat."

"It's a focus and endurance game. It's actually a lot of fun."

"Should I request doctor Chakwas presence, Shepard-commander?"

* * *

 "It's called truth and biotics," Kaidan said to the very unamused looking prothean. "You have two people on each team, and there are four items of equal weight in the middle. You each stand on a line. If your team allow an item to drop or steps off the line, the other team picks a player to answer a question. You can use any biotic ability against your opponents and to keep the items in air, and your partner in place. Just don't hurt anyone."

"Who else will be doing this?"

"Myself, Liara and Shepard."

Javik tilted his chin up. All very strong biotics. "What if I choose to lie?"

"Game too difficult for you?" At the look he got in response, Kaidan held up his hands. "Look, if you always tell the truth, then every else has to. Otherwise it's just everyone lying. This way, you can ask anything you want and get a straight answer."

Javik exhaled a breath lowly, contemplating the training exercise. Although it sounded simple, there would be a great deal of energy, and constant concentration, along with fast reactions, and multitasking. He nodded, moving towards the elevator.

"It'll be fun," Kaidan stepped inside also.

Which he regretted, after only a few seconds in to the very awkward journey.

* * *

 Javik eyed the four old metal bolts in the centre of the blue training mat. Two had been coloured bright white, the others left their dark grey tone. They were as long as his forearm but thin, and heavy as they had once been used to hold stabilising components of the ship together.

"We couldn't find anything else that would be equal. Except for bullets." Shepard shrugged.

"It'll make it more interesting. We used to use soccer balls, but the jokes of dropping balls became overwhelming."

Tali giggled. It sounded almost fake with her muffled vocals, but the way one of her hands unconsciously went to her side, displayed her humour clearly.

"Well, we just learned something quarian anatomy," Shepard took a spot on the white painted line opposite to where Javik was standing. She found her eyes focusing on the prothean.

Javik leered. "Commander?"

"I know what we're going to ask first, Liara."

"I regret being part of your team already," the asari took the space left to the commander. Leaving Kaidan to her right side.

"I'm going to say that those topics also come under playing dirty," Kaidan said.

"Right. Fine line. Got it," the commander lifted her hand, taking a white bolt up with her biotics. "Let's get to it."

"Can the audience suggest questions?" Garrus called out from where he sat on top of the Mako, in just his under-suit, his naked hands covered in oil from the adjustments he was making on the main gun. He dropped a leg over the side, turning his knee inwards so his spear was facing out.

"Don't see why not," Shepard grinned. She looked around the hull. Wrex was leaning against the wall just to her left, further along Nihlus was sitting down with Tali, and Ashley was at a table top with her weapons laid out. Which were quickly getting forgot about. Legion, still clad in her hoodie, was standing before the elevator door. He looked like he should have been uncomfortable there on his own, had he been an organic. As it was, Shepard was just pleased that they could all be in the same room together.

Three humans, two turians, an asari, quarian, geth, and prothean. It was not the kind of crew she could have ever imagined, but they were all so unbelievably unique, with huge variety of ways of thinking, culture, spiritualism. And they all lived together. Ate together, fought together, insulted each other, but more like brothers in arms facing their own possible death in exchange for those around them. It was gallos humour. Each battle won for the galaxy brought them closer, each loss even more so.

The three other players took hold with their biotics, holding the bolts in the air with blue energy, except for one, which was wrapped in green.

Shepard blinked when she her bolt fly across the room, clanging against one of the support stands. She looked over the still bolts, watching Kaidan's own bob from momentary loss of focus.


	11. Chapter Eleven

"Alenko," she smiled. She pulled the bolt back in the middle before letting it down, and crossed her arms. Might as well let her energy build. "Let's hear it."

"When did you lost your virginity?"

"Hey, what happened to not playing dirty?"

"Never took you for a prude."

"Twenty. Guy I met on shore leave. Let me guess, yours was that girl from BAaT, wasn't it?"

"Not my turn."

Shepard whipped her bolt up, knocking Kaidan's across the room.

"Now it is," Liara said.

"I was thinking Javik."

"You wish know my year of lost sexual innocence?" Javik asked, his carapace still low in annoyance, but he had not left yet. That was something.

"It's depressing that you have to specify the innocence. But no," she met the asari's wide baby blue eyes. "I thought you could ask him something about the protheans."

Liara gulped but looked ahead. She had grown a tougher skin with all her encounters with a being she would have given anything to meet just a few months ago. "Where were you born?"

"One of our last colony worlds. It's appearance has improved greatly."

"So, you were a colony kid too. You should have said," Shepard smiled.

"I also have a great story about a toaster."

"Don't you dare."

Javik grinned, his sharp teeth on show. "You are too easy to tease."

"Don't ask about the toaster?" Liara clarified.

Shepard nodded. "Never."

"That's ominous," Nihlus said.

"Ominous? I'm going to go with just plain weird," Ashly added

"Okay," Liara flicked her hand back, ripping away the green glowing bolt to land perfectly in her grasp. "I have a further question."

Javik blinked, surprised by the amount of force, and his own distraction. "Speak it."

"What planet are the protheans from?"

"Tuchanka," Javik pulled the bolt back, catching it.

"That's- how- Tuchanka?"

"Somehow, that makes sense," Garrus drummed his talons on the base of the cannon. "Violence first, ask later."

"My people long since left, but once the war started, we made sure to send our children there to be trained. The wildlife acted as protection."

"Everything from Tuchanka is impossible to kill, hmm?" Wrex spoke up.

"I am glad your spices were able to rebuild. My first memory was watching my planet burn. I heard that it had been destroyed beyond use."

"It doesn't look much better. You would'd survive there, prothean."

Javik's eyes narrowed into slits, the smirk across his lips making his gaze seem all the more sinister. "My people were killing yours long before we invented weapons. There are more than enough protheans in this world to kill you, krogan."

Wrex laughed, loud and grumbling. The kind of sound that would make anyone quake in their boots. "I'll hold you to that."

"Keep your word. This cycle has enemies that are barely worth the fight," he crossed his eyes. "Krogan make useful allies, even if just for their ability to avoid indoctrination."

"Completely?" Shepard blinked.

"I am also unable to read their memories, if I were to force the action. I am not a scientist, I don't know why. It was down to their brain anatomy, so nothing we could use for ourselves. My people could only be indoctrinated once, once the bond was severed, it can never be remade, the same may go for asari, as their share a similar design. Thresher maws are also unaffected due to their size."

"Hey, are you the reason those worms are everywhere?" Ashley questioned.

"They all originate from the krogan home-world. It has always been a mystery to how creators that size spread to different systems." Liara continued.

"The plants they live on were the home to our greatest military outposts during previous wars. We transported the young or not yet hatched, to act as protection. They were too small against reapers, but kept the indoctrinated at bay," Javik spoke. "From what I have seen, they have grown larger in this cycle."

* * *

The game went on. It was full of prothean history and just plain squad silliness. It was relaxing and unlike any ship Shepard had ever served on before. It could have been that it was hers, their status as a ship belonging to a spectre, the wide ranges of species, or the mission of upmost importance. Or just the lot all mixed together. But her crew were amazing. She did not want this war to happen, she wanted to end things before it could begin. War meant losing all these people, all her people, which was a saddening thought.

"Do asari also insist on using implants?" Javik said the second he batted Liara from her line with a non too gentle pulse of energy.

"No. We train from childhood," Liara said with only a slight frown. Missing the way Javik's lips twitched.

She was learning.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Kaidan asked.

"Asari have had biotic abilities for as long as we have existed. Our bodies adapted to it," her big blue eyes stayed fixed to the two sets of gold. "Are protheans the same?"

"Element Zero was damaging to prothean physiology. Our system did not have the natural resources in my cycle. The lack of exposure caused my people to become sick."

"But. You're a biotic?" Shepard frowned.

Javik crossed his arms, his bolt remained floating neatly in the air. "We studied the asari for many years. They had a lessened ability of ours, we were curious as to if they could develop further. They did not," he observed the way the asari looked like she was about the argue his point, so he continued. "Asari can only meld minds sexually. I am able to do so whenever. Along with giving pleasure; we can inflict pain, share memories and emotions. We are deigned for this. You are not."

"What do you mean?" Liara looked on, feeling very confused.

"The reproduction is natural. But the ability to share minds is the result of the element. We were not aware of this when we began to teach you how to use your skills further," he exhaled from his nose. "Our minds were directly effected, leading to cognitive damage, and death."

"Biotics killed you?" Liara's voice was soft but filled with panic, guilt.

"Passively."

Shepard raised a brow. "Passively?"

"It counteracted our abilities."

"So, you lived?"

"In world were we are isolated from communicating and have the sensory ability of a child. Death was the preferred option."

"It can't be that bad," Tali said, who sat Garrus on a shipping creat, followed by Nihlus and Ashley. "You could still see each other. Touch."

Javik sighed. "We also suffered wearing of muscles, brittle bones, from the biotics attacking our bodies rather than being expelled. It was only fixed by changing our genetic code."

"Oh," Tali shifted awkwardly.

The prothean glanced over to his metal bolt, engrossed in green. "To share minds was how we spoke. To voice words is to order. It is cold," he glanced over to Garrus. "Much like you, turian, you speak orders, express with vibrations."

"You can hear that?" Garrus leant his body back, feeling a little freaked out.

"Faintly."

Nihlus growled in the back of his throat, watching as Javik's head tilted as his pitch spiked.

"But even you lie. Hide who you are, what you feel. Nothing is ever clear. All this debating, uncertainty. It is confusing," he huffed. "And the communication is lengthy."

"Maybe if you used our names once in a while, it would not seem cold," Kaidan suggested.

Shepard gave her crew member a small smile. Different races, cultures, had different customs that could create barriers that could be hard to over come. She was glad that Kaidan had such an accepting nature.

"My people spoke with our minds. Names were not needed. They were only used status symbols of our purpose in society. They changed constantly depending on what we accomplished. What we became."

Shepard froze. "Wait. So, Javik is a title?"

Javik let out an exhausted growl. "Of sorts. It is a memory I do not wish to share."

Translation; I don't want to talk about it.

"Communication is a learning curve. Especially with this many species," Shepard said, attempting to direct the conversation away from the meaning of the apparent discomforting nature of Javik's name, and wether or not the asari killed protheans with biotics. "I once gave turian a hug around the waist. Which turns out, is an erogenous zone," Shepard shrugged.

"Why were you hugging a turian?" Ashley knitted her brows.

Nihlus hummed, sounding more like a soft growl. "Humans are more affectionate with those outside of family."

"Compared with turians?" Shepard smirked.

His mandibles bobbed. "We're not the kind to kiss and cuddle."

"Not in public, anyway," Garrus added.

"Probably a good thing," her smirk grew. "Ingesting can be dangerous."

Wrex barked a laugh, Tali held her hands to her mouth piece with a soft giggle, Liara shook her head and turned away, while Nihlus and Garrus looked on with as much as could be deduced as surprise on their plated faces.

Shepard gave an expression of mock horror. "I gave him strawberries," It turned out that some things created more allergic reactions than others, even on medication.

"You have bounded with a turian."

Shepard blinked, mouth parting and closing in confusion as she turned to Javik. "That was direct."

"Prothean."

Of course. He must have been able to sense that she was not lying. But then again, he was also likely the only person in the room who would house no shock or displeasure if he knew she was raised by turians. Unless protheans disagreed with adoption.

"True. But it's not my tern-" she was cut off as her boots left the floor, her hold body held up by green energy. "Made your point," she said as she started to turn length ways and was pulled into the centre. She crossed her arms, frowning as she came face to face, although upside down, with her prothean crew mate.

"Commander," he greeted. There were no telltale changes in his features to give her a clue on what he was feeling. But Shepard took note of the almost softness in his pricing eyes, and the lack tension of which he held his carapace. Plus, what he was doing could be considered playful. Even when the word did not suit Javik.

"Feels like that comic with the guy in spandex," she mocked kissing the air. She was surprised when Javik jerked back, his hands staying in place to keep her in the air. "Humans and protheans have something in common," she grinned. Which stayed in place as she was turnedback round.

"I have not. It was a friendly gesture," she spoke as her feet met the floor.

**"Lying is a biological marker."**

Right, lying in general.

Shepard sighed softly. Then she smiled. "Wanna see?" She asked, holding out her hand.

Never say commander Shepard did not jump in with both feet.

Javik leant back, overlooking the situation. "You wish for me to read your memory?"

She felt oddly proud of herself. Javik was not the type that needed clarification to be voiced. He could easily read the world around him and understand perfectly.

She flexed her hand to entice her crew member. Sharing memories with Javik had made him more relaxed in her presence, telling her his thoughts. She had one memory in mind; one of their nights playing Skylian-five poker when she was still in the alliance, acting like they had only known each other from brief meetings.

"Focus on the turian," Javik said, his gravelly spoke low. More of a soft growl than real words.

With only the tip of finger touching her open palm, everything faded away.

* * *

Shepard's mind awoke to complete darkness. She was not sure if her eyes were even open. She could not see. Feel. Hear. She knew nothing. Not where she was. Who and what she was. Nothing.

Something; some sensation, maybe muscle memory, maybe not. Told her to breath. She heard the suck of breath, felt the oxygen fill her lungs. But she did not need it. It did not feel necessary, or real. What she took notice of however, were the smells that fogged her mind.

Sweat, gun cleaner, recycled stale air pushing up dust. Air fresher, the burn of the eezo core, the scent of the cleaning solutions used on the floors, over amour, and clothes. Those bundles of a mixture of smells that made up a person. That changed with gender, race. Organic or synthetic. Skin or plates, or both

And the memories that were linked to each unique smell.

Visions blinded her with the sheer amount of content, not a single image clear. Voices flooded her mind. And without even meaning to, everything settled.

Joy filled her as she met the young unpainted plated face of Tarquin Victus. His green irises almost took dark to see, just a pair of black wholes in his skull. He was crouched down, holding out his cupped hands, a pile of small flowers inside, for the human girl sitting on her knees, a whole two foot shorter than him. He had really wanted to see how this 'daisy chain' worked out.

Shepard felt warmth in her chest as the memory flowed.

It had been the day that General Victus had paid her father a visit. The politician had come clean about his daughter to his old commander, and close friend, Septimus, and was looking for help to not only keep her hidden, but for her to get an education, pursue a career.

How was a girl who came out of seemingly no where suppose to have a normal life?

Oraka had in term contacted Victus for help in the matter, bringing his son, Tarquin, as the two had been inseparable since the death of the boy's mother.

Only a year older than Shepard, he was not considered a child by turian standards. His need to investigate the odd sounds coming from the garden was a rebellious impulse, an action heavily frowned upon when entering the home of a stranger, under the supervision of both his parent and a high ranking officer in the military. But he was a Victus. They were never ones for following rules.

From that one incident, the two children had found friendship in each other, sharing a bond hidden from the world ever since.

Her mind swam through snippets of their first few years together. Meeting Theodosios, and his visiting cousin Lilihierax. When the two had got sick of pretending not to know each other on one of the few occasions Shepard was allowed to leave her residence. They had decided to not only walk together, but got sidetracked to play in a woodland within the park they had cut through.

Sparatus and Victus had not been pleased. Oraka had shook his head at the two fathers, asking what they had expected would happen.

The turian and human brought out the worst in each other; questions of why. Playing out in public, running between the legs of c-sec officers, and relaxing together in the parks. Why should they have to worry? They were not doing anything wrong.

Although the situation was unique, the traits that were developing may have been the just thing for humans, but for turians, it was disrespectful. The things Tarquin said and did, went against traditional values that had been taught with each generation. He was seeing the world through the eyes of a seasoned adult, and not the boy that he was.

Even so, they were never once parted. Their friendship was a stability for the two of them, a safe haven. They make each other better, more confident, where before there had only been fear.

* * *

Shepard exhaled. Body feeling totally relaxed with pure nostalgia from her easiest memories of her family coming together. Those feelings stayed when she opened her eyes to see two sets orban irises, but seeing the disbelief in them, her feelings slipped away.

He had seen.

Tarquin. Oraka, Theodosios, Lilihierax. Her father.

He had seen it all.

The two shared at each other. Gold on emerald. His finger still at her palm.

"How long is this going to take?" Ashley whispered.

"As long as the memory?" Garrus guessed.

"Javik said that the process lasted only seconds," Liara spoke.

"You are correct," Javik said, pulling his hands away. "My apologies, commander. It was not my intention to see so much. Had I known those memories were linked, I never would have looked."

Shepard nodded softly. Her brain felt like it was full of cotton wool. "It's fine," she mumbled.

The two stood there, eyes linked, unaware of the crew looking at each other and shifting awkwardly.

Javik looked away, then back. He nodded, making his way to the elevator.

It was only as the door was closing, that Shepard felt the need to speak, to call to him. Maybe that that was for the best. She had no idea what she was going to say.

"Did this help or make things worse?" Tali asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Shepard admitted.


	12. Chapter Twelfth

Shepard tried to sleep. She really did. She tossed and turned to get comfortable for a hour with no luck. She could try reading on her omni-tool, maybe with a bit of music, but once she started that it would go on for hours, and she would be no closer to being drowsy. Sometimes it was better just to keep tying. And sometimes it was a hopeless battle.

She groaned, which became a growl as she threw her duvet away. She sat up in bed, grabbing a hair tie from her nightstand draw. He pulled her long maroon hair into a bun, with a sigh. She swans her legs over the side of the bed, shivering at the cold floor.

She was wearing a black vest and a pair of tartan pyjama bottoms. She reached out for a white cotton jacket, that she had dumped at the bottom of her double bed, pulled it on and zipped it up. Usually she had a hoodie to keep warm about her room, but she did not have the heart to tell Legion that it was an item of clothing she used often. And she had left it in the mess hall yesterday morning, it was not like he stole it.

Shepard illuminated her room using her omni-tool, rubbing her eyes at the sudden bright light. With partially opened eyes, she checked for any messages. Among the spam, was one from her dad; asking how she was, and how her mission was going.

She smiled with a shake of her head. She typed a quick reply, before grabbing a pair of socks from a set draws. The first pair she came across were a green pair, with a fluffy white sheep at the bottom. A gift from Oraka after she joined Anderson on the Normandy.

She pulled on a pair of boots, before making her way out.

She made her way to the door she had been avoiding for weeks. And knocked.

"Javik. I would like a word."

She could hear shuffling inside, so she waited. Before long the door opened before her. Javik stood there, his eyes worn.

"Can I help you, commander?"

"Yes," Shepard stepped inside, bypassing the prothean by an inch. "I would like to talk to you about what happened today."

"Yes, commander."

She wanted to punch him for all the military formal talk but she held her cool. "There's something we should talk about. So, to start off, I was born on a colony, as you know, and after it was attacked, I was adopted. By a turian."

"I was unaware such a thing was possible."

The commander ran a hand through her hair, pulling her few strands from her bun.

She had wonderful father and a best friend. Plus, Oraka, Theo and Li ad been uncles to her. Visiting her with gifts, telling her stories. Theo had taught her about plants and wildlife, Li; mechanics of nearly every vehicle imaginable, and Oraka would take her to his ship while it was under repair. And when she turned fifteen, they all helped her train like all turian children did. Amazingly but unsurprisingly, the biggest hurdle had been helping her to read and write, since they were relying on translators.

And each first meeting from her father to the pair of cousins, had been filled with a quiet understand Shepard had only really seen from a turian. Well, Oraka had looked the father and daughter up and down a few times before growling low in his throat.

_"Let's go have a look at the extranet. I bet we can find you something to wear that does not make you look like you belong on hanar catwalk."_

After long talks with an admiral in the alliance, Jane Shepard started her training with the systems alliance navy. It was hard hiding who she was, the things she knew. As fair as anyone knew, she was just a kid from Mindoir, not even admiral Hackett knew where she had been for all those years. Just that her family's friends consisted of a highly respected general, and the newly appointed turian councillor. She must have seemed like a real mystery, but Hackett did not care. And although he may have wondered, the matter was never spoke of again.

With nothing but a gun in her hands, a smart aleck bunk mate, and the knowledge that things were only going to get more difficult. She ran in head first and quickly made a name for herself.

"It wasn't. My father is an amazing man, he loves me, and has always done the best me. Even if that meant hiding that I ever excited. He would have lost his job, for sure. The respect of his people And I would be on the streets of Earth within the year," she stepped over to the large window shutters, she smiled as the stars came in to sight.

"You, the geth, krogan and the spectre turian were the only wants who felt no discomfort at the blue turian having bare talons. You relaxed in their presence. And when their requisition for bodily paint was denied, you became aggressive. From what I understand, the paint is very important and personal," he moved to stand beside her, also looking out to the stars.

"It represents where you come from, your family, both are very important. Turians hate to lie, to family most of all," she lay her arm on the thick glass, her forehead resting on the white cotton of her sleeve. "But I grew up with a family of turians who risked it all for me to be happy," her dark green eyes met his bright gold. "I've never told anyone that."

Javik blinked. "Why would you risk showing me this?"

"You have no frame of reference. It doesn't bother you...and I never meant to show you so much."

"My apologies."

"It's not your fault. This is an unique situation "

"I will tell no one."

Shepard smiled. "Thank you. I was a little freaked out before. I've never told anyone, let alone shown them. Thank you."

Javik glance away for a few seconds before his sights returned. "May I show you something in return?"

Shepard nodded, resisting the urge to comment on his politeness. Less out of military diligence, something more personal. She held out her hand.

"It is not a memory," Javik said. "Could you close the shutters?" He asked, making his way to his cot. He slipped a hand under the plate along his shoulder guard, grabbing at the straps. He quickly untied the amour and tugged it off. Followed by his chest and back piece, the process was surprising not as lengthy as it looked.

"That does not look fun to take off," Shepard smirked, making her way over.

Javik's turned to face the human. "Being disconnected allows much easier movement," removed his hand, the strings that held his amour in some way, falling lose.

Shepard took another step forward, holding out her hands to offer assistance, even if it was unlikely he would even ponder the idea. "Considering the hits I've seen you take," she lifted her eyes. "Your amour is not too bad."

"It is traditional," he said, pulling his arms under the body plate. It became eliminated in green and arose from his body, moving to rest with his should guards on his cot.

Shepard smiled as she watched. Javik had perfect concentration. For the only known race to suffer such extensive damage from element zero in small quantities, it definitely worked for him. She wondered if his asari genetics had to do with that.

She ran her green orbs down the prothean's body. The suit he wore underneath was black with gold trip not only around the missing patches on his elbows and knees, but also around his shoulders and just above his skit piece. It looked to be a seem of some sort. But there was no clear wait of parting the clothing. But the choice to have the suit come apart was interesting.

Wondering about the gold lines was not as interesting as the two other things she noticed. The first was the skintight nature of the clothing, clinging to every well toned muscle and grove of bone. He seemed human shaped but he could have more external skeletal patches, like the carapace covering the crown of his head.

The second thing that caught her eye was the three sets of belts around his body. They were about an inch in diameter, the top pair where crisscrossed over his chest, the bottom belt rested on the bottom of his rib cage. The material was unclear but it looked worn.

Javik unclipped the crossed belts, both of which were pulled apart by some unknown force when released. His lip twitched at the pressure of the remaining belt. He exhaled as it was undone, the whole thing springing from his body. He tossed the item onto the bed, with much less care than he had his amour.

"Javik?"

The prothean's eyes closed. Shepard watched in astonishment as warm brown waves of translucent silk arose from Javik's shoulders. They flicked together with such a speed that they vibrated rather than thumped. It was only when they stilled once more, that she realised what they were.

"You have wings?"

Javik's turned. Each wing reached from the back of his neck to his lower back, but they were still folded up, meaning they could spread pretty far. They were a reddish brown, which ran darker at the base, with a few lighter lines spread sparsely, possibly scars. The arches were thicker, likely from bones supporting it. And there were a few raised lines spread from base to tip.

Shepard grinned. "Let me guess. Don't tell the asari?"

Javik nodded.

"Can I touch them?"

Javik bobbed his head. His shoulder blades drew together before he relaxed. Shepard laughed in childish glee as a second set of wings appeared from under the first. They were shorter, more likely for support, and extended the down to his calves. They were a greenish brown, with dark blue patches, surrounded by yellow speckles.

Shepard hesitantly raised a hand, glancing at the back of Javik's head, expecting a negative reaction, but upon receiving nope, she took a breath and reached out. The main wings were smooth but tough, like leather, and it shuddered under hand. The raised lines felt harder, but had give, if they were holding bone, they must have been pretty flexible.

"Wait. Can you fly?"

"My people long gave up that ability in exchange for better armoured protection...but yes. Not very high or far, we can make sudden movements critical in hand to hand combat. Only when they are reduced to their smaller form," he pushed his shoulders down before pulling the blades together again, the secondary wings folding along the inter base with ease.

"What are the second set for?"

There was a paused before Javik admitted. "Physical attraction."

Shepard smiled. "Well, I'm a pretty lucky primitive then. Because they're gorgeous," she laughed as the wings vibrated like that of a dragonfly.

Javik turned to face her once more. His eyes wide open. "You don't find them strange?"

Shepard shook her head. "You want strange? Try learning how to dance from a guy covered in plating, with spears on the back of his legs."

Javik smiled, it was small, barely a crease in his lips, but it was there.

"Is this in exchange for what you saw?"

"It is something I wish to share with no one. It is as an equal exchange as I can make."

"Why don't you go with it?" Shepard said. "Walk around with your wings out. Liara will only freak out for a week, max."

Javik snorted. "I have enough reminders that I am all that is left."

"Yes," Shepard spoke softly, her eyes downcast. "I guess so."

Javik avoided being in the pubic eye, staying away from groups, only coming to visit the Citadel once when he was made to, and the second time, going at the quietest time of the day. He could have gone again, could have seen more of the galaxy than what was ask of him but he did not.

"Is that part of why you hide that you were raised with turians? Difference."

She lifted her vision. She wanted to say that she was not ashamed but she doubted he was, and she did not want to cause offence while he was being so open.

"I don't want to lose them."

Javik held her glaze. "My knowledge will not change that."

"Even when my father is the turian councillor?" She could jot help the smirk.

"A tactical advantage."

Shepard laughed. She could not help it, his humour was wicked when he let it lose.

He could have been dead serious, keeping her secret out of personal gain. But she did not think so. In this very moment, she trusted him.

When she met his face again, still in the midst of giggles, she found that his expression was relaxed, his lips perked, eyes warm. He was amused, but not in the dark fashion she was accustomed to seeing as he poked and prodded at Liara. More happy. Dare she contemplate.

"I know it might not be the same for you, names being a title and all but I would like to tell you mine."

Javik double set of eyes blinked. He was made curious by her smell.

Shepard took a breath and released. "Translators are a tricky thing. They change your words to the closest comparison, which don't leave a lot of room for other meanings. When I first met father, I told him my last name, and he thought was my first."

Javik nodded. Names were a very different concept to his people. And they were singular, representation of family was not displayed in the same way.

Her vision slid away, and she gulped. "The very last thing I heard from my parents, was my first name. Screaming it," she finished with a sharp breath. Her fists tightened and shook with a rage that paralysed her everything she thought about what had happened that day. "Thinking about it, saying it, felt horrible," she relaxed as she looked back into his eyes. Not thinking for a moment why. "It's not my name anymore. It was hard to explain that to my dad."

"You took Shepard as your name."

"I did. It felt right, and no one questioned it. And as I got older, keeping Shepard felt right. Like I wasn't abandoning them. My first name was theirs, even when he was my family," she smiled. "Training in the alliance was not an issue, at first, we called each other by our last names. But soon my friends wanted to know, so I had it changed."

"To what?"

She wanted to thank Javik for not asking her real first name. But instead, she slid her fingers under her shirt to grab at her dog tags, pulling up the metal slide. She flipped the tag.

"Lola?"

"You can read that?"

"I took my understanding from your mind. Everything you can read, I use as a template."

Shepard nodded. Still stunned by the ability. "Lola was the nickname a friend of mine gave me, James. I got used to it, so when the time came, I took the name. Although he was the only who ever called me it. I'm still Shepard, Lola is more a nickname."

Javik eyed the slide with a tilt of his head. "Shepard Sparatus," he spoke, recalling how the other turians had pronounced the name, or at least how Shepard had remembered it. "Or Lola? "

Shepard poked a finger into his chest. "Don't call me that."

Javik chuckled. "It suits you, commander."

Shepard removed her hand with a gentle smile. "This ship is full of good people. Like today, we had a lot of fun. Not saying you should around with a a big smile, saluting most and hugging the rest. I want you to be happy here."

His faced had returned to his calm demeanour, his emotions were unclear. "You should go to bed. I can see that you have not slept yet tonight."

"I could say the same for you," she pointed out. "And I don't need to be a prothean to see that."

"True."

Shepard took breath and released it, staring deep into Javik's primary set of gold irises.

"Commander?"

"I know we're not alike. Even to humans, saying things out load can be uncomfortable, but if I ask you something, could you answer it truthfully?"

"Yes, commander."

Shepard exhaled another breath. She want to ask him why he had been ignoring her but she felt like he had enough reason to. She wanted to ask him why he shared his memories with only her alone. If he truly trusted her believe in Legion or if he was going reduce him to a pile of scrap metal when she was not looking. But in the end, what she really wanted to know was clear. And something he might actually answer.

"What did you mean when you said that I was dear to you?"

Javik said nothing for a while. Maybe his mind was catching up with the translation, or he was not entirely sure. "What would it mean to you?"

Shepard folded her arms. "What does the word mean or what does it mean to hear it?" She continued. "Normally, dear means someone you care for. Family. A lover."

"I see you as a friend," Javik broke the gaze. "It has been a long time. Since I have felt that I would lose part of myself if I lost someone to the reapers."

She looked on for a while, completely taken back by his sincerity. He had lost everything he had ever known, she felt almost humbled that he thought of her as something to care for. Although there was some discomfort in the air, awkwardness.

"I'm glad."

He met her eyes.

_"Sorry to break up your conversation, commander, but you are needed on the bridge."_

Shepard flinched at the sudden voice from the com. "Joker? Have you been listening?"

_"No, ma'am. The salarian councillor has requested that we rescue a STG against, Mordin Solus. He went missing last week, but managed to send message out, along with his coordinates."_

"How far away?"

 _"Three hour-"_ Joker yawned.

 _"And counting,"_ Nihlus finished. Which answered the question of who had took the call.

"I'm on my way," Shepard sighed once again as she heard the com cut out. She felt like she had been doing that a lot lately. She turned to the prothean. "No more ignoring me. If you need to say something, just do it."

"Yes, commander," Javik nodded.

"Shepard."

"Lola," he grinned, sharp teeth on show.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

"Nearing corrientes. We're invisible," Joker called. "Also, did we have to have the whole of the squad here. We're already being weighted down by the geth."

"Legion," Shepard said.

"It has a name?"

"The commander thought it would make it easier to identify as a singular platform," Javik explained. "In my cycle, it was not uncommon."

"You worked with synthetics?" Liara crossed her arms, her voice not fooled.

"Most were in equal standing with organic races for many generations. Before the Metacon war; where all the organic races joined to face the machines."

"What happened?" Tali asked.

"Much like your own war, quarian. We could attack or let those more powerful fester, with weapons that could destroy the empire."

"Specify," Legion spoke. "There is no given reason why a machine race would attack. Machines do not seek to dominate like organics."

Javik stepped up to the machine, till they were inches apart. His carapace lowered to make his doubled pupils fine. "We called them reapers."

Legion's panels expanded. Then its head tilted. "The protheans tried to understand synthetic life more than any organic in this cycle."

"We were not free of our mistakes," Javik huffed. His accent thick. He walked away from the machine, still glaring at the light at the centre of its head.

"Picking up something on the long range scanner," a crew member spoke up. "It's an outpost. Looks large."

"Lot of heat, lot of people." Joker frowned.

Shepard moved to stand beside Javik, her presence temporarily not taken in consideration by the distracted team members. She wanted to offer comfort but she doubted it would make him feel better. She hated pity, more so in public. She imagined he was the same.

"I half expected you to tear him in two," she spoke quietly.

Javik's breathing stilled. Before he sighed.

Shepard choose not to ask. The prothean was entitled to his thoughts.

"I'm glad we spoke last night."

"You are uncomfortable."

Shepard's rocked to side to side. "Yeah. A little."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure."

"Lying is a genetic is marker."

Shepard laughed. "I'm not entirely sure."

Javik hummed. Then he stilled, taking a deep breath.

"The Alenko-human has an attraction towards you. I can smell the pheromones."

"You've never wanted to sleep with someone you work with?"

"It is more than that. Affection."

Shepard glanced to the prothean. "I know. Calling him out on it would be uncomfortable."

"You worry too much of what others think."

She smiled to her friend. "Don't get too friendly. People might start to think you're a nice guy."

"We have the thermal imaging," Joker called.

"If you're done flirting, commander?" Kaidan smirked. His comment seemed well timed, but Javik could sense the slight peak of jealousy.

Shepard stepped forward, taking her spot behind Joker.

"Prothean females could engage in foreplay using only their eyes. Males could not resist," Javik said.

"Okay. Wink and you'll pop a boner," Shepard nodded, turning her attention to the screen. "Got it."

"I am never sure how much or what you said is true or just to get everyone riled up," Liara said.

Garrus tilted his head. "Still annoyed that you believed him when he said prothean said invented electricity?"

"I was caught off guard!" The asari folded her arms.

"Alright," Shepard stood before her crew. "Tail, Garrus and myself with take the Mako," her eyes squinted at the way the pair cringed, the turian placing a hand on his team mate's shoulder. "We'll attack from the front. Meanwhile, Javik, Nihlus and Wrex will sneak in the back. Nihlus will lead, Wrex will be Wre. And, Javik, I need you to sense Mordin. If our enemy is geth, their should be no other organics."

"Yes, commander," Javik spoke.

* * *

Sometimes, Nihlus would get feelings. A nudging in his gut, telling him something was not right. Something he had seen, heard, smelt, that his mind had yet to catch up to. But no one can be right all the time, so he assessed his surroundings, his mission. But the last time he had pushed away his suspicions was when he saw Saren, and his concerns as to why his mentor- a turian who hated humans, would come to a human colony, subsided.

He had been a fool to turn away, to ignore his own logical mind. Had Shepard not arrived when she had, he would have been dead. Spirits, any sooner and Saren could have lead them all right into a trap, to the geth.

Nihlus had always done right by the soldiers he worked with, both in the army and after, even if that meant disobeying orders, breaking regulations, something a good turian would never do. It was what made him a good spectre, protection for others above law. Garrus was a lot like him. When this was all over, he would see to making Vakarian a spectre, and with his first chosen being Shepard, he was willing bet that his reference would be held at a high regard.

But, saving the Cididel from annihilation did not sound like an easy feat. And something told him that the reapers were not the kind to just give up if they did not get their way.

"Those are new," Wrex eyed the strange creatures from the balcony they were making their way across.

Nihlus looked over over his team mates as he approached. The prothean had been disconcerted as they neared the facility, which had him pausing at the door as they entered. Now his eyes were wide, constantly scanning, and yet they were dull, the eyes of familiar torment, and a deep unrelenting anger.

He flinched at every sound that came across his path, his body tensing in preparation for battle. His feelings of macabre were clear, and rather disconcerting from a squad mate that never expressed any emotion other than disgust

"Collectors," Nihlus genuinely gasped. He had never expected this. They were ruthless by batarian standards, completely cold hearted. And their weaponry was incredibly advanced. Their very existence was considered myth due to how terrifying and unpredictable they were. And yet they never attack. Just traded resources.

"First geth, now them. Could they be working work the reapers?"

"I can sense the indoctrination," Javik confirmed.

"Pretty creepy looking," Wrex added.

Nihlus pressed his ear piece. "Commander, we have collectors. They're indoctrinated. But our first concern should be finding Mordin. We can see what we can do for them after," he nodded. "Moving forward. Javik, how far are we?"

"Just down the hall," Javik cast out a hand for direction, before placing it on the floor, pushing himself up behind a wall so that he stayed hidden. The path he directed meant that they could completely bypass the collectors. "I suggest you move quickly. Find the salarian, and head to the rendezvous point."

"You're making that sound pretty final Javik," Nihlus moved to stand before him. "I don't know what you have in mind, but stop."

Javik glanced between the railings, the dark figures standing completely still aside from the occasional flinch or twitch. "Their indoctrination is deep, they live by it. But the reapers are too far for the link to be activated, their minds are weak. By the time you are done, I will be finished."

"You don't know that. We don't need to kill what could be innocent-"

"It is too late for that," Javik growled, leaching into jagged purr. He marched several strides back, before illuminate himself in bright green biotics, sparking yellow around his fingertips.

The prothean broke into a sprint, darting around the turian Spectre in order to vault over the railings, pulling his long arms back like a praying mantis ready to strike. He stuck the ground with the full force of his biotics, both sending out a massive wave of green energy, and breaking his fall in the process.

He freed his weapon, ending his downed targets with shots to the neck, the only clear path past the considering external skeleton over the chest and skull. The rest of his foes met their end when their skulls were shattered against the metal walls and floor.

"Impressive," Wrex admitted. He was really starting to see the resemblance of his tuchanun kin. Even long before, he had a feeling Javik would have fit right in.

"Go get the doctor and get him out of here," Nihlus ordered, meeting the blood red irises.

Wrex grunted but complied, watching from the corner of his eye as the turian ran after the prothean, who had already bolted from the large hall.

* * *

Javik switched between shooting his targets and using biotics to push them back when they became too close, and when they were grouped. It felt like combat in his cycle. He was unaware of how much time had past. But as he ducked into cover, he felt the burning in his muscle, his bones ached. His breath was deep and staggered as the enemies continued to come thick and fast.

The soft whistle of a Spectre issue pistol quickly became a comfort, settling his mind enough to focus. Aiming his biotic strikes at flammable canisters, setting pockets of his people alight. The bodies were nothing but splattered remnants, damaged beyond recognition.

Within a blink of the eye, Javik returned to his pursuit, flinging another collector into the wall with a series of squelching cracks. Only stopped when no indoctrinated slave was left standing. Just a series of blue blood pools.

He closed his eyes, every fibre of his body sensing for an essence long since tainted within in his memoirs.

Nothing.

"We are finished," Javik spoke, "We must leave," he made his way past the turian once more.

"They were prothean," Nihlus said. His thoughts confirmed when Javik stilled in his tracks. "That sound you made. I heard it before."

"The empire is gone. My people are dead," Javik turned. "What is left must be destroyed."

"I'll explain what happened to Shepard."

Javik flinched as his hands unconsciously rubbed together, the feel of the heavy sticky blood gluing his hands together. "Thank you, Spectre."

Nihlus said nothing, nothing needed to be said. He looked upon the dead, their bodies a dark brown with lines of a soft blue from the reaper tech. It was monstrous.

He paused as the voice of a krogan cut into his earpiece.

_"There is something you need to see."_

* * *

"The body is yet unknown. He is turian, aged in his twenties," Mordin spoke, overlooking the strange assortment the crew. That barely fit in the communications room.

"Clan markings?" Garrus asked.

"None."

"What does that mean?" Kaidan asked.

"Any number of things," Nihlus brushed the matter off.

"What did the collectors want?" Shepard questioned.

"Collectors have always been strange. They made trades for species, in exchange for very advanced teleology. Left-handed salarians, batarian twins, a krogan with parents from feuding clans, human biotics, quarians who never left the Migrant Fleet due to illness, importance or disability."

"What did they want from you?"

"I'm a geneticist. They wanted me to examine the turian, his brain in particular," Mordin stared to pace. "Something took control of one of them. It was lifted into the air, eyes glowing gold. It spoke of transferring me to another facility. I don't know where."

"Reapers can speak through the indoctrinated," Tali said, voice breathless.

Shepard exhaled. This was all so horrible. She had no idea how she was suppose to get used to such a world. "Can you tell us what happened to the protheans, doctor?"

"Protheans lost intelligence over serval cloned generations. Cybernetic augmentation wide spread, tech added for compensation. Metal capacity almost gone, replaced by overworked sensory input. Transmitting data back to master," Mordin theorised as he paced, his words clinical. Unaware of the discomfort in the room.

"Is there anyway they can be saved?"

"No," Mordin spoke firmly. As if the very idea was cruel. "Collectors too far gone. No glans, replaced by tech, no digestive system, replaced by tech. No soul. Replaced by tech. What they were, gone forever," he frowned, and for the first time, he seemed distressed. "No art, no culture. Closer to husks than slaves. Collectors just final insult," he took a breath through his nose. "Must be destroyed."

"Our resident prothean certainly agrees," Garrus spoke up.

"Prothean?"

"Long story," Shepard stood, walking over to the vid com, Nihlus falling into step behind her. "We'll sort this out with the council and see if we can get this turian identified. Dismissed."

* * *

Javik went stiff as he touched the door release of the wash room. His breathing stopped, his fingers flexing. Even with his amour polished, his suit freshly washed and dried, his body clean the shower he had taken. His skin raw. He still felt the grime, the sickness of indoctrination crawling along his skin.

He tried to think back to his wash, to remember that he was clean. How he had shivered at the hot spray, his outer wings twitching as they adjusted to the heat. He had not turned as he spread his large under set, allowing the water to roll down his green skin instead of directly striking the sensitive extremities. His head tilted up, with closed eyes. His hands before him, vigorously rubbing away the long cleaned blood stains.

He slammed the side of his fist against the red holographic screen, rushing through as the door parted. He did not think about not being covered by his ceremonial amour. His wings out and brushing against his lower back. He darted straight to Shepard's room, vaguely recognising that no one was in the facility.

He sat upon her bed, his breath calming at the familiar smells. He smiled as he caught sight of her socks from last night, dumped on the floor.

* * *

 

"Javik?" Shepard stepped back as she met the two pairs of golden eyes upon entering her own bedroom.

"I hope I am not intruding, commander," Javik said, but did not move from where he stood before her bed bed. His armour shed, the brace that held his wings still also gone. But he seemed more exhausted than relaxed.

"Just unexpected. Are you okay?" Shepard sat down on the end of the fixed cot. Any worries of over stepping personal boundaries were pushed aside as Javik joined her, a heavy breath leaving his chest.

"I was born into this. You are not."

She sighed. Defensive. She guessed he would be.

"How am I suppose to act?"

"The Williams-human believes that I am a 'raging asshole'. Would my advise be of use?"

"I would like to hear it all the same."

"There is no way to be. No promise that those you care for won't die-"

"Not helping."

Javik's paused, growling softly as he thought. "Do not care what others think. You are a strong leader."

"Thank you," Shepard said softly. She looked into the prothean's duelled pupils. Speaking, sitting together, close enough to feel his heat. There was still that wall between them. Of which she had only peeked through the cracks as he touched her skin.

They said nothing for a while. The situation both in their minds.

Killing their own people, people that never had any choice. And things would only get worse for Shepard, more races would become affected. Planets, whole systems would be destroyed. But for Javik, the worse had already been and gone. Everything he had known was gone.

There were no words.

"I've been wondering. Do you enjoy sharing memories?"

Javik turned his head fully. "Yes" he shifted. "When we a share memory, it becomes clearer. The process also improves memories and focus."

She smiled, promptly ignoring collective term. "Would the same happen for me?"

Javik thought on the matter for a few seconds before he nodded. "Memories would become clearer. You would share your memories?"

"Only seems fair," she hummed. "I still think you should keep your wings out," she glanced to the two brown silk wave. Seeming delicate but she had felt the strength first hand. "It can't be comfortable keeping them tied back. Combat, I understand. Husks are grabby."

"It is something I will take into consideration, Lola," Javik smirked.

Shepard leered, which fell away as the prothean chuckled darkly. Her vision took to her hands. "You're a part of my crew, and I'd like to be your friend," she spoke.

"I consider you as much, commander," Javik replied, his carapace pulled down. He had thought he had been clear.

Javik's vision widened, his layer external skeleton shifting as his features relaxed. He had sensed the change in her chemistry but the species of this cycle changed rapidly. It could have been coincidental but...

Shepard's breath caught as Javik slipped his three fingered hand between her hands. She lifted her chin, and met a softness she had never seen before. His doubled pupils were focused on her own single. His lay in a pool butterscotch, surrounded by a rich orange, like that of a sunset at its peek. Hers the dark green shade of leaf, full of life.

He lean forward and she followed.

His lips were thin but soft under hers, the skin of his cheek smooth and firm under her fingertips. She gasped against his mouth, her body flush against his as he wrapped an arm around her waist, his thumb bursting up her lower back, in the grove of her spine.

Javik raised his chest against hers with a rumbling hum that made her want to shiver.

They parted for a breath, from what had only really been a chaste kiss. Shepard found herself laughing softly with a silly grin across her lips.

"So-" she took a breath, having not noticed how much that kiss had took out of her. "That's a yes?"

Javik snaked his large nimble fingers through her maroon hair, rubbing at the base. "Yes, Shepard."

Shepard placed a kiss at the point of the prothean's carapace. "Good," she whispered, her lips feather soft over the area that joined bone to skin.

Javik stiffened at the sensitivity, but met her lips again all the same. "Good," he spoke against them before capturing them once more, sliding his hand around her body to her hips bone, his hand still unconsciously clinging to her own.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

"Good morning," Shepard smiled to Liara, as the young doctor busied herself at the dinning table, before making her way over to Kaidan, who was already filling up her cup.

"Good morning, commander," the asari lifted her head from her datapad. "Are you feeling well?"

The commander patted a hand on Kaidan's shoulder as she took her coffee, before moving to take a seat beside the doctor.

"I'm good."

"Did you speak with Javik?" Kaidan asked. "That last mission must have took a lot out of him."

"She did. It did not," Javik stepped into the room, completely clad in his amour. His expression was stoic as always. "It is an act of mercy. Something which you must become accustom to if you want a chance of living to the end of this war."

"I'll admit. I've stopped thinking of the husks as people," Kaidan said.

Javik met his glaze. "Once they rot, the control is too deep."

"Is it possible to save the person?" Liara spoke up, her voice timid but with strength behind it.

"Liara, we will do everything we can to save her," Shepard spoke softly.

"The commander is correct," Javik spoke, "Welcome the blessings, but never hope for them. It will only lead to your demise," he continued, making his way to the kitchenette, to eye the glass jug filled with a strange black liquid.

"You're a ray of sunshine," Liara mumbled.

"What are you working on?" Shepard asked, hoping to take her crew member's mind off of her mother.

"Well- I," she sighed. "I was looking over my notes taken from prothean dig sites."

Javik turned his head.

"I've wrote many papers. I came to Edan Prime to gather research for a book I was planning to write," she cleared her throat. "My personal thoughts on what happened."

"Which was?" Javik asked, his none existent eyebrows raised.

"I did not know. There was not enough proof. But, the buildings, technology, art. It did not always make sense. I believed that the protheans were not the first species to disappear. That this cycle had happened before, possibly mutable times. Something I needed evidence of."

Javik hummed. "May I see?"

Liars froze. "I- ah. Yes! Please do," she finished with a soft mumble. She quickly selected the correct folder, before holding the devise out for the approaching prothean.

"And while I would recommend coffee, I would not start with military brand," Shepard said to brake the tension.

"Coffee?" Kaidan eyed the jug. "I thought it was port."

She grimaced. "Warm port. Got to say, not appetising."

"Malt wine," Kaidan pointed out. He nodded to Javik as he leant against the wall on his shoulder guard. One thinly padded shoe crossed over his ankle.

"Gross. Plus, your argument is not valid," Shepard raised her cup, and tapped at the side with the index finger of her free hand. The metal thermal cup making a dull thump. "Port does not go stale."

The biotic chuckled. "Good point."

"Morning," Tali cheered, rounding the corner with Garrus.

"Now it's a party," Shepard grinned.

"And I thought vegans made serving food difficult," Kaidan commented, grabbing dextro coffee grounds from one of the cupboards.

The commander paused before laughing. "That was good for you," she turned back to her newly arrived crews members. "Is Wrex up?"

"He is in the lavatory," Javik spoke.

"Let's give him a minuet," Garrus said with a raised hand.

"Shower."

Shepard lifted a brow. "Javik?"

"He always does so."

"Little less creepy," Tali said. The hidden smile she had slipped away, as a chill ran up her spin at the sound on clanging, metal against metal, leading away from the elevator.

"Legion," Shepard greeted, watching Javik from the corner of her eye. He had not reacted, he must have sensed the machine. Which was not an easy thing. From some of the few times they had spoke about synthetics, in a semi-peaceful manner, he had explained that he could not sense their movement like he could an organic. Knowing exactly where a person was at any given time.

Only the basics of sound, sight, smell, and what he described to be a void where they stood. Like a cold, hidden energy, that sucked life from around it. Something that sounded distrusting, even without his confrontation with the reapers.

"A large body of organics has an understandable consensus. How is thing possible, Shepard-commander?"

"It's nice to see each other. We'll brake off into groups and conversation will still get around, just slower."

"Protheans may lay eggs."

That caught Shepard's attention.

Liara looked horrified. "How did you find that?"

Javik was still leaning against the wall, holding the datapad up with a large hand, lazily balancing it with his fingers and thumb, the back resting on his palm.

"If they are similar to krogan; they may lay their eggs in large clutches. Possibly surrounding by water to keep away said species," As Kaidan leant in to have a look, Javik turned the devise in the biotic's direction.

"Stop."

"Like the krogan, protheans could consist of multiple points of external plating. The only clear example is the skull. It is possible that they might have head butted," he lifted his eyes, looking at the asari for a few seconds. "It is also possible that a male's testicles are internal."

"Whoa," Ahsley, who was stepping into room, held up her hands. "What am I walking into?"

"It would appear miss T'soni gave a member of a species of which she reaches, her private notes," Mordin spoke from the open medbay door, his white gloved thumb to his chin. He took a breath. "Problematic."

"This is so embarrassing," Liara mumbled, her face hidden in her folded arms on the table top.

"Do you recall the item recovered from my life pod?"

Liara pulled her head up enough for here baby blue eyes to peek out. "The piece of metal. It looked like the beckon."

Javik nodded. "It is an echo shard. My people could place memories on objects. Once mastered, entire years could be recorded. Beckons transferred these memories. Created when we joined our abilities. But a memory shard, it is a blessed object."

"How so?"

"In our last moments, our abilities are at their strongest. The echo shard is where a person's dying memories our housed. The moments that made a life worth the pain. This one has been passed from solider to solider, long before the war. For the time, it is mine. But. You are welcome see what it holds."

"Have you seen it?"

"No. Protheans memories are short. By sharing minds, we can experience every moment we have lived. I can choice what I wish to see again, to remember. The things I don't wish, become forgotten."

"That's actually pretty handy," Kaidan said, his voice raspy.

"This only works for older memories. Those that are new, or cut deep are more difficult. The echo shard, in showing the what it holds, also forces all possible memories to return. The ones that leave deep marks are the most likely."

"I- hm. Thank you, Javik."

There was silence, the room filled with the reminder of the fate of the protheans. The fate that could become this cycle. That any movement, everything could be destroyed, people indoctrinated, planets burned, systems exterminated. Nothing left but the few scraps of evidence of life before.

"Why would protheans lay eggs?" Legion inquired.

Liara held a hand over her cheeks as they began to heat up.

"She just wants to get under your amour," Wrex grumbled as he stepped into the room, his footsteps heavy.

"It would not be the first time an asari as attempted that task."

Wrex bellowed a laugh. And Liara hid her face between her folded arms on the table. Again.

"Every species wants the asari, and the asari want the protheans," Tali giggled, sounding like a rippling hum. "Sounds like a strange love story."

"I thought the asari did not have contact with the protheans?" Ashley spoke. "That whole _let the reapers think their not smart enough_ thing."

"All protheans with biotic abilities were taught by asari. Even before the war. The reapers knew this but only faced those who stood with the empire."

Liara lifted her head. "What? Why did you never mention this?"

"All species that joined the empire were considered prothean. They were only asari by DNA. They lived, fought and died, as prothean."

"So, wait. Being prothean was an idealism?" Shepard asked.

This was getting confusing.

"Disagreements that lead to war with other races were settled in the empire. Minds were shared, struggles understood. Leaders and avatars had lines of succession, and we would discuss when they actions came into question. Many left but nearly always returned. And races that could not live by the agreed rules of the empire, were shut out."

That actually made a lot of sense.

"But, as species outside the empire started to grow. Our rule had to be set upon them, to keep the Galaxy in agreement."

Ah. That would not have gone down well.

"Sounds difficult," Kaidan said.

"I would not know," Javik simply spoke.

"Too much democracy," Wrex grumbled.

"To fight till exhausted is always better," Javik agreed.

"That a challenge, prothean?"

"You would not be, krogan. You relay on your guns, amour and biotics too much."

Wrex chuckled darkly, a smile pulling across his lips. "Do you believe you could beat me without those things?"

Javik moved forward, placing the datapad on the table as he walked. He stood but a foot away from the krogan, looking deep into his eyes. "Our amour used to be made entirely from krogan plating."

"Very interesting. Well matched," Mordin spoke. He looked over to Shepard. "Suggest we land for this altercation."

"I'm in half a mind to agree with you," Shepard hurried from her chair to stand between the two aliens. She held out her hands. "Somehow I don't see this ending well. And not on my ship."

Wrex blinked when he say the human's hand flat on the protean's amour, while the one of his side was a distance apart. Javik did not tense, he did not even check. He almost seemed calmed by the action.

Wrex chuckled. "Alright. But we will have to-"

Javik hissed as his felt an unfamiliar and chilling course of energy. His fingers twitched, eyes darted. Whatever it was had power, unrelenting force that had his bones as still as stone. His blood ran cold.

"Javik?" Liars stood. "Are you okay?"

"Javik?" Shepard spoke sternly but got no answer. Something very odd considering his respect, almost a lifeline, to military rank.

She glanced to Wrex, who was still giving the prothean an odd look from the way he was growling low in his chest.

Javik stalked across the room, attempting to see what was out of place...

"Where is the machine?"

The commander looked over the room. He was right, Legion was gone.

Javik moved forward, his shoulders hunched. Then he stopped, head jerking up. He darted around the corner.

"Javik!" Shepard called as she chased after him, very nearly tripping over her chair as she bolted.

She was vaguely aware of Tali, Garrus and Wrex behind her as she passed the corner, running over to Javik, who stood perfectly still in the doorway of his counters.

"What's-," Tali gasped. "Keelah."

Legion lay on the ground, his limbs at odd angles; as if he had passed out. He made no noise, all his light were out.

"Is it dead?" Garrus qeastioned.

Tali pulled up her Omni-tool, waving past her vision. "Processing information? I don't know what's happening."

Javik huffed, taking a wide berth of the geth so that he could get to his cot. He grabbed his pillow, and stepped over to the machine, nudging an item from its grip.

Shepard blinked, surprised she had not noticed the object before now. "The echo shard."

"It wanted something," Tali said.

Javik nodded with a low growl.

"We don't know it was doing anything menacing," Garrus said, "At the very least, we have to help it. If only to reason with the geth."

"There is no reasoning with machines. They will all destroy us in the end," Javik leered. His accent always became thicker when he was angry. "It does not matter. The shard was made for direct connect to an organic mind. The machine is permanently trapped."

Wrex crossed his arms. "So, we kill it or leave it."

"Air lock."

"No! I can't believe that killing Legion is the only option," Shepard shook her head. "He's a part of the crew. The geth are trying to go against the reapers."

"The geth drove my people from our home world. We don't even know if what _it_ said is true. _It_ could be working with the reapers."

"You can't just kill it. Then what's the point? To prove that we empathise by allowing something that lives to die?"

"I hate to admit it," Garrus said. "But she has a point."

"You truly believe that allowing the machines to exist is a good thing?" Javik met the deep green irises of his commanding officer.

"The geth are part of this cycle, like any other," She knelt before the synthetic. "And they deserve the chance. They have only ever defended themselves," She eyed Tali. "And I believe they feel regret for what happened to the quarians."

"They're just machines!" Tali demanded.

Javik took a deep. He assumed a cross legged posture on the cold metal floor. Then exhaled. He held out a hand to Shepard. "Do you believe?"

Shepard understood. She pressed her palm against his. Her whole being felt both like it was being jerked from under her skin, and held in an warm embrace. His hand gripped hers for a second before he nodded, still holding her for a while along.

"There is a way to save the geth," he released her. He took another breath, then turned to Wrex. "If crew are in danger. Shoot."

The krogan tapped his back, where his shotgun sat, clipped into his amour.

Without allowing another second to think, even as panic filled Javik's chest, fast crawling and filling his mind with all sorts of fears and consequences. He placed one hand on the geth's metal chest. He took one last look at Shepard, her maroon hair, so soft and plentiful, falling in front of her big green eyes.

He turned away. And with his free hand, grabbed hold of the echo shard.

* * *

All his senses vanished. Leaving his being in total darkness, with no memories to help him understand what had happened. Who or what he was. But part of him, a small dimmed light told him to breath.


End file.
